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May 10, 2025

Monterey County health experts address vaccine hesitancy as state launches incentive program

MONTEREY COUNTY — Medical professionals from area hospitals discussed progress toward quelling the Covid-19 pandemic during Monterey County’s press briefing last week. Among the guest speakers at the May 19 briefing was family practice physician Dr. Joshua Deutsch from Mee Memorial Healthcare System, who spoke...

Monterey County’s Covid-19 Stipend Program ends

MONTEREY COUNTY — Monterey County Health Department’s Covid-19 Stipend Program has ended as of March 31, the decision of which came as vaccine rates increase and the number of new cases has decreased. The Stipend Program started in December 2020 with the aim of helping...

Uncounted in the unemployment rate, but they want to work

Robert Hesse was expecting an imminent promotion to manager of Sub Zero Ice Cream, a nitrogen ice cream shop in Ventura, California, when it shut down in March because of the pandemic. “I like to work,” said Hesse, a college graduate who turns 26 on...

Monterey County’s Covid-19 testing sites expand hours to meet demand

MONTEREY COUNTY — Monterey County’s state-supported Covid-19 testing sites located in Seaside, Salinas and Soledad are expanding hours in response to an increase in demand for testing. The community testing sites will be adding additional days and appointment times as a result, announced Monterey County...

Monterey County advances to least-restrictive Yellow Tier

Covid-19, novel coronavirus 2019
MONTEREY COUNTY — Monterey County Health Department announced Tuesday that it would move into the Yellow Tier of the State of California’s Blueprint for a Safer Economy this week after meeting the requirements. Beginning Wednesday, June 2, all activities authorized under the state’s Yellow Tier...

Fully vaccinated people can have small gatherings indoors, CDC says

UNITED STATES — The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on Monday issued long-awaited guidance to Americans fully vaccinated against COVID-19, freeing them to take some liberties that the unvaccinated should not, including gathering indoors with others who are fully vaccinated without precautions while...

Greenfield McDonald’s offers free Big Macs for vaccine registrants

GREENFIELD — Community members who registered for a Covid-19 vaccine at McDonald’s in Greenfield recently were able to get a free Big Mac. The two-day event was held Aug. 6 and 7 in partnership between McDonald’s and Virus Integrated Distribution of Aid (VIDA) Monterey County,...

Monterey County considers countywide mask mandate

MONTEREY COUNTY — Monterey County Board of Supervisors will review implementation of a countywide indoor mask mandate during a special meeting Wednesday.  The supervisors are expected to endorse it after earlier approving a mask mandate for all county buildings. The decision came after a late August...

CDC eases outdoors mask-wearing guidelines for the vaccinated

WASHINGTON — The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention took a major step Tuesday toward coaxing Americans into a post-pandemic world, relaxing the rules on mask wearing outdoors as coronavirus cases recede and people increasingly chafe against restrictions. The mask guidance is modest and carefully...

Why Covid took off in California, again

Between reinstated mask mandates and spiking coronavirus case numbers, this summer is starting to feel a little too much like 2020. Even in California, a state with a vaccination rate well above average, the number of people hospitalized with COVID-19 has nearly doubled in the...

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