COVID-19

CALIFORNIA — Facing swelling political pressure and numerous lawsuits by businesses forced to shut down, Gov. Gavin Newsom of California on Monday lifted a strict stay-at-home order and handed to local authorities greater control over whether restaurants, hair salons and other commerce could reopen. The...

SALINAS VALLEY — The South Monterey County cities of Gonzales, Soledad, Greenfield and King City each signed proclamations declaring a local emergency Monday due to the current threat of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. “The potential spread of the virus does pose a risk to our...

MONTEREY COUNTY — Infection rates are declining in Monterey County, with fewer daily confirmed cases of Covid-19 as time goes on, reported county health officer Dr. Edward Moreno during the March 3 press briefing. “If we continue to avoid gatherings and stay home as much...

SALINAS VALLEY — Nursing students from Hartnell Community College administered hundreds of Covid-19 vaccine doses to area firefighters last Saturday. The vaccinations took place at Clinica de Salud del Valle de Salinas locations in Salinas, Castroville, Greenfield and King City. Students involved were part of the...

MONTEREY COUNTY — Monterey County officials have already started planning the next phases of Covid-19 vaccine distribution and recipient prioritization after distributing the first round of vaccines last month. “Monterey County will have, to date, an allocation totaling 12,550 vaccines that includes both the Moderna...

MONTEREY COUNTY — Monterey County will lift its indoor mask requirement Monday for all county facilities except those that are covered by ongoing state mandates like jails and health care facilities. The county said in a statement that it will lift mask requirements and health...

California became the first state to issue a vaccine mandate for all educators in public and private schools when Gov. Gavin Newsom on Wednesday ordered teachers and school staff members to provide proof of vaccination against COVID-19 or face weekly testing. “We think it’ll be...

CALIFORNIA — Dozens of times a day in COVID-19 wards across California, a scene like this plays out: A hospital chaplain watches as a death is announced by machine. Kristin Michealsen, a hospital chaplain in Los Angeles, stood at a man’s bedside, holding his hand....

MONTEREY COUNTY — Monterey County’s health officer is joining 10 other officials from the Bay Area in stressing the importance of taking safety precautions, such as masking indoors, as the region experiences a new surge of Covid-19 cases and hospitalizations. The Bay Area now has...

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...