Starting next Monday, all 246,000 state employees plus all of California’s public and private health care workers must show proof of full vaccination against COVID-19 or be subject to weekly coronavirus testing.
Recovery & Reopening
Posted inBusiness & Technology
The return of mask fatigue: Trying to make sense of an all-too-familiar COVID ritual that confounds us all
With Santa Cruzans, chief among them business owners, perhaps feeling a little whiplash on the mask front, Lookout’s Neil Strebig offers some observations after talking to folks around the county about it.
Posted inHealth & Wellness
Vaccinated people can get ‘breakthrough’ infections: How worried should we be?
Increasing community transmission, as is happening with the highly contagious Delta variant of the virus that causes COVID-19, will mean more positive tests — even among the vaccinated. Vaccines remain highly successful at keeping recipients from falling seriously ill.
Posted inBusiness & Technology
‘It doesn’t feel right not to’: MAH clinic gives Santa Cruz another shot at getting vaxed up
Friday’s downtown COVID vaccination pop-up was another step in pursuit of herd immunity. And while masks are making a comeback, “I don’t see closures as part of our future at all,” county health officer Gail Newel said. “That’s not going to be well tolerated. And wouldn’t be helpful.”
Posted inUncategorized
Another wave of Lehrer-mania: Cabrillo Stage celebrates the popularity (and mystery) of iconic satirist
Tom Lehrer, onetime star of musical satire and longtime Santa Cruzan, is the subject of the musical revue “Tomfoolery,” playing Friday through Sunday at the outdoor amphitheater at Cabrillo College.
Posted inBusiness & Technology
Dropping the ball: Big sports leagues balk at endorsing vaccination
The major U.S. sports leagues are struggling to vaccinate enough of their players to protect the clubhouse and locker room, and few stars have stepped forward to pitch vaccination to teammates or fans. WNBA players are an exception, with a 99% vaccination rate and high-profile ads urging the public to get vaccinated.
Posted inUncategorized
‘Outburst’ for a good cause: Local comics come together for San Francisco comedy icon Will Durst
Santa Cruz’s Richard Stockton headlines a benefit show July 31 at El Vaquero Winery to help Will Durst rehab after a devastating stroke. “He’s more than just a great comic,” Stockton says of the 69-year-old Durst. “He’s been a leader in lifting us all up to be the best we could be.”
Posted inBusiness & Technology
Analysis: Necessary or not, COVID booster shots are probably on the horizon
In today’s pharmaceutical universe, a simple “safe and effective” determination by the Food and Drug Administration to approve a drug can be manipulated to sell products of questionable value. And drugmakers can profit handsomely.
Posted inFood & Drink
‘Stressed out’: As the available pool of workers remains low, restaurants keep laboring to stay afloat
A month after California’s grand June 15 re-opening, help wanted signs seemingly outnumber available workers. Local businesses continue to see a surge of patrons, yet with the workforce missing in action — either still collecting unemployment or having moved on — owners are left scrambling, many forced to reduce their hours of operation.
Posted inK-12 Education
Prioritizing student wellness post-pandemic, more California schools turn to yoga
Educators see stretching and breathing exercises as a way to help students relax and focus as they return to campus. “We’ve laid so much on these kids. They need an outlet where they’re not being judged, where they can learn to pick themselves up,” one teacher said. “Yoga and meditation can help them process difficult emotions.”