COVID-19

The surge in unemployment filings in March 2020 provided one of the first clear warnings of the havoc the pandemic was wreaking on the U.S. economy. One year later, that klaxon is still blaring. More than 746,000 people filed first-time applications for state unemployment benefits last...

UNITED STATES — States have continued steadily lifting restrictions, despite warnings from top federal health officials like Dr. Anthony Fauci that new coronavirus cases in the United States have plateaued at a very high level after their drastic drop has stalled and that the...

MONTEREY COUNTY — Monterey County Health Department is partnering with local organizations to provide no-cost flu vaccination clinics at community-based locations throughout the county again this year. “Getting vaccinated is the single best step you can take to protect yourself and your loved ones against...

State prison systems across the United States have begun allowing visitors for the first time since the pandemic started, presenting challenges for facilities that want to balance much-needed contact between inmates and their families with the need to limit the spread of COVID-19 in...

(California Today) How fast is the coronavirus spreading in California? 1. A considerable spike in new cases over the holiday weekend — nearly a quarter million — was reported by the state health department Tuesday, with an average of nearly 59,000 cases a day recorded from New Year’s...

MONTEREY COUNTY — Great Plates Delivered, a Monterey County program meant to help vulnerable seniors and boost local business, will end on Friday, July 9. As part of the yearlong program, area restaurants signed up to provide food for seniors who wished to maintain social...

Gov. Gavin Newsom of California announced Friday that the state plans to add the coronavirus vaccine to other vaccinations required to attend school, such as measles and mumps, starting as early as next fall. The vaccine mandate, for public and private schools, will be phased...

The U.S. vaccination campaign has been rolling along and picking up steam. Some 22% of California’s roughly 40 million residents are fully vaccinated, and more are signing up for appointments. COVID-19 case rates in the state are at some of their lowest levels since...

Previous infection with the coronavirus appeared to provide stronger protection against the delta variant than did vaccination in a large sample of patients, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported Wednesday. But in the long term, vaccination still offers the best defense against the...

MONTEREY COUNTY — Monterey County will no longer require fully vaccinated residents to wear a face covering when inside a county building, the county announced Wednesday. Starting Thursday, residents will be asked to verbally attest that they are fully vaccinated when entering a county building...