COVID case numbers are still going up. Kids under 5 won’t be eligible for vaccination for months. How can parents make smart decisions in the meantime?
Pandemic Life
Posted inHealth & Wellness
California surpasses astonishing 6 million COVID-19 infections as Omicron wave expands
The arrival of Omicron has pushed daily caseloads to their highest levels and sent a stream of new coronavirus-positive people to the hospital.
Posted inCoast Life
Santa Cruz tells Food Not Bombs it’s time to go: Lot 27 being cleared by city to make room for construction
Homelessness advocate Keith McHenry said “it’s an insane time” for the city to try to evict his group and the homeless campers who have used the parking lot as safe harbor. The city says a construction project will begin and it’s no longer safe.
Posted inCOVID Today
Bad news, good news: COVID cases spike, tests are hard to find … but fewer serious illnesses with Omicron
As COVID cases surge, pharmacies and testing sites are being flooded by people hunting for tests. However, leading health officials agree with evidence that Omicron is less dangerous, particularly in vaccinated people.
Posted inPolitics & Policy
Shelter from the storm: Santa Cruz’s Warming Center providing a basic, essential need during a cold winter
During the Dec. 13 storm, local advocate Brent Adams opened the Warming Center at Footbridge Services to help the unhoused during the inclement weather and beyond. Now he’s assessing how he can best prepare for the remainder of the winter months while also contemplating budgetary constraints.
Posted inHealth & Wellness
If you take an at-home coronavirus test, who keeps track of the results? Probably no one
Californians have been racing to buy at-home testing kits. But chances are that the results aren’t making their way into the public health system.
Posted inCOVID Today
Big push for Californians to switch to N95 or KN95 masks as Omicron surge worsens
Last month, California’s public health director and health officer, Dr. Tomás Aragón, wrote that with the increasing airborne spread of the coronavirus, it’s important to improve the fit of masks and their filtration — making enhancements that go beyond old, loose, cloth face coverings that became popular in 2020.
Posted inPandemic Life
The events word for 2022: Rescheduled. Omicron variant’s rise bringing cancellations galore
Whether it’s Al Franken at the Civic, a reception for the MAH’s latest exhibition, a world premiere opera at Cabrillo, musical performances at the Catalyst and Moe’s Alley or arts events at the Tannery and Actors’ Theatre, Omicron is having the final say at the moment.
Posted inCity Life
Safety concerns shut down the comeback of celebrated theater festival ‘8 Tens @ 8′
Santa Cruz’s Actors’ Theatre has again had to shelve its festival of 10-minute plays, this time amid the Omicron surge, but new artistic director Andrew Ceglio still has ambitious plans for 2022 and beyond.
Posted inHousing & Development
California has a new COVID mortgage relief program. Here’s how to get help
The state is launching its long-awaited mortgage relief program to help homeowners facing COVID-related money troubles. Here are the rules.
