News of the week
You have probably heard that the Bay Area is now California’s hotspot. That’s true. However, cases are still only about 10% of the massive amount seen during the winter’s Omicron surge.
Locally, county cases continued to rise, albeit at a slower rate than in either of the previous two weeks. According to the Santa Cruz County Health Services Agency, the county saw about a 13% case increase over the last week, jumping from 1,123 recorded cases to 1,286.
Although one more death was recorded — raising the pandemic total to 262 — hospitalizations and deaths have remained low.
On the state level, California is closing in on 90,000 deaths — the highest pandemic-related death total in the country. However, the state also has the 11th-lowest cumulative COVID-19 death rate per capita, with 229.5 deaths per 100,000 residents.
Vaccinations and precautions are still strongly recommended.
The easiest way to schedule an appointment for second boosters is at local pharmacies including Rite-Aid, CVS and Walgreens.
Kaiser Permanente and Sutter Health are still administering second boosters to eligible recipients.
Check our links below for quick access to the relevant websites.
Masking rules
Neither the state of California nor Santa Cruz County currently requires indoor masking. For county public schools, as of March 11, masks are optional though highly recommended.
As of April 10, masks are not required for most indoor settings at UC Santa Cruz facilities, though highly recommended. Masks will still be required for on-campus public transportation, in the Early Education Services centers, and in clinical settings.
On April 19, Santa Cruz Metro lifted its mask mandate for vaccinated passengers, following a federal judge’s ruling that mask mandates are not required on public transportation.
The latest numbers
How does Santa Cruz compare to California and the U.S. in vaccinations? Where are the most current COVID cases in the county, and how does that compare to population? Here is the most recent data.
As of Monday, there were 1,286 active cases logged by the county. This does not include unreported rapid tests taken at home, so this number is not exact.
One new death was reported in the past week, raising the pandemic total to 262.
Where can I find a vaccine?
At this point, vaccines are widely available across the county. They are free for everyone, whether insured or not.
As of March 31, second booster shots are available to people aged 50 and older as well as people 12 and older who are immunocompromised or who have received Johnson & Johnson as their primary series and booster doses.
Rite-Aid, CVS, Horsnyder Pharmacy, Westside Pharmacy and Walgreens are currently offering second boosters.
Those wanting to get the shot through their primary care provider should check the company’s website, as availability may vary.
Health care providers
You can schedule appointments for initial doses and booster shots. Below are the local health care providers that offer the vaccine.
Kaiser Permanente
866-454-8855
Sutter/Palo Alto Medical Foundation
844-987-6115
Dignity Health
831-288-6526
CruzMedMo
831-241-7501
Emeline Health Center
831-454-4100
Drugstores and supermarkets
Most pharmacies in the county have COVID-19 vaccines appointments available well into the future. Click the pharmacy of your choice to schedule an appointment.
Safeway
Rite-Aid
CVS
Walgreens
Costco
Horsnyder Pharmacy & Medical Supply
Westside Pharmacy
Getting tested
The sites below offer free PCR tests via LHI.care. Turnaround is typically three to five days.
Mountain Community Resources
6134 Hwy. 9, Felton
Depot Freight Building
119 Center St., Santa Cruz
Watsonville Testing Site
500 Westridge Dr., Watsonville
The table below lists additional testing resources in Santa Cruz County. However, almost all require appointments.
