While Santa Cruz County public schools have taken on the burden of teaching students in person during a pandemic, they’ve managed to avoid challenges such as sickouts and abnormally high absence rates seen in other parts of the country.
Pandemic Life
Posted inCOVID Today
COVID-19 sick pay in California would return under deal between Newsom, lawmakers
California officials hope the return of state-mandated COVID-19 sick pay will encourage infected workers at businesses employing 26 or more employees to stay home and help slow transmission.
Posted inCOVID Today
Pharmacies are turning away immunocompromised patients seeking fourth COVID shot
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention quietly changed its guidance to allow an extra shot in certain cases, but some pharmacy personnel are confused about who is eligible.
Posted inPolitics & Policy
County at an impasse: Union workers say they’re set to strike next week; management says deal is fair
During a virtual news conference Tuesday evening, leaders of SEIU Local 521 — which represents public health and social workers and public works employees, among others — said Santa Cruz County leaders had forced their hand by refusing to negotiate in good faith. County officials counter that the deal, which includes an 8% raise over three years, is fair.
Posted inHealth & Wellness
5 things to know about ordering free COVID tests
The federal website providing free at-home COVID-19 tests is open for orders. Here is how to order the tests, and what you need to know.
Posted inCoast Life
Surfing during a tsunami? Here’s why some foolish Santa Cruzans like me would do such a thing
Yes, I was one of them Saturday morning at Pleasure Point — amid a sea of high school surf contestants. But there are reasons that some of us Santa Cruz folks are different than others and would want to put themselves out there into nature’s grasp with little to go on. We’re a bit different when it comes to pushing the envelope.
Posted inPolitics & Policy
How many are homeless in Santa Cruz County? An already COVID-delayed count pushed by Omicron
Though the Point-In-Time Count normally happens every two years, next month will be the first time Santa Cruz County’s unhoused have been tallied since before the pandemic. And that date itself was pushed back a month due to the Omicron surge. The last time — in January 2019 — the unhoused totaled 2,167 people, though many believe the current number is far greater.
Posted inHealth & Wellness
‘We’re in this together’: Pajaro Valley schools return to class amid Omicron and surge of absences
Santa Cruz County’s largest school district returned to school this week as the Omicron variant continues to contribute to record-breaking case counts across the country. Pajaro Valley Unified School District teachers and parents are happy kids are back in school, even as they brace for more cases.
Posted inHealth & Wellness
With hospitals reeling, California tells COVID-positive medical workers to stay on the job
Experts say it’s a necessary solution to staffing shortages amid the ongoing surge of the Omicron variant, yet many workers say the policy could be dangerous.
Posted inHealth & Wellness
Omicron can make you contagious before you test positive, allowing for rapid spread
In general, tests are able to reveal an Omicron infection, but enough virus needs to have reproduced and appear at sufficiently high levels in the nose or saliva to be detectable, health officials say.
