California’s coronavirus case rate remains significantly less than Florida and Texas: two common points of comparison given their population size and different pandemic responses.
Vaccine Watch
Posted inHealth & Wellness
Gov. Newsom orders school employees to get vaccinated or be tested regularly
School employees must either be vaccinated against COVID-19 or submit to a regular test proving they are not infected with the coronavirus under an order from Newsom.
Posted inK-12 Education
California’s new vaccine requirement for schools: What you need to know
Gov. Gavin Newsom on Wednesday required that all school staff be vaccinated against COVID-19 or submit to regular testing, making California one of only two states with such a mandate. With the policy set to roll out Thursday, here’s a rundown of how things will look in schools.
Posted inLatest News
‘This is not sustainable’: California hospitals filling again as Delta variant rages
The state has seen its total number of hospitalized coronavirus-positive patients swell from 2,981 on July 25 to 5,973 as of Sunday. “Very few of us are going to get out [of the pandemic] without either getting COVID illness or getting vaccinated,” one doctor says. “And, clearly, getting vaccinated is the safer, healthier way for us to go.”
Posted inCOVID 2022
California lawmakers and teachers unions stop short of a vaccine mandate
Even as the delta variant causes spikes in COVID-19 case numbers just weeks before the new school year, state lawmakers have yet to issue a vaccine mandate for public school teachers.
Posted inK-12 Education
Delta variant is sucking the joy out of back-to-school 2021
Instead of a back-to-normal back-to-school, the coronavirus casts new shadows over the return to full-time, in-person schooling. A particularly troubling issue for parents in Santa Cruz County and beyond is that children under 12 are not yet eligible for a vaccine.
Posted inPolitics & Policy
A California bill would limit protests at vaccination sites. Does it violate the First Amendment?
A proposal breezing through the state legislature would make it illegal to obstruct someone from getting a covid-19 shot, or any other vaccine, but some free speech experts say it goes too far.
Posted inCOVID Today
Santa Cruz County sees first confirmed COVID-19-related deaths since June
Two persons, both unvaccinated and in their 70s, died last week from COVID-19 symptoms. They were the first confirmed coronavirus-related deaths in Santa Cruz County since June 1.
Posted inPandemic Life
Santa Cruz’s outdoor wedding boom: After the pandemic pause, demand for that special place, day is surging
After a period of uncertainty that put traditional large weddings on hold, couples and those who help them put together the perfect day are finding creative ways to make things safe and special. Lookout turned to the experts to see what was going on.
Posted inCOVID Today
Wary of ‘breakthrough’ infections, some vaccinated people eye another shot. Is it needed?
Health officials say they’re largely unnecessary and the primary focus should be getting the unvaccinated to roll up their sleeves.