Palo Alto schools recruit hundreds of parents to cover staff shortage
Palo Alto Unified is asking hundreds of parents to volunteer on campuses to help with increased staff absences.
California makes it easier to hire teachers amid shortages
California is making it easier for school districts to hire teachers and other employees amid staffing shortages brought on by the latest surge in coronavirus cases, the governor said Tuesday.
Omicron may be headed for a rapid drop in US and Britain
Scientists are seeing signals that COVID-19′s alarming omicron wave may have peaked in Britain and is about to do the same in the U.S., at which point cases may start dropping off dramatically.
Fauci Senate hearing on pandemic gets testy: ‘What a moron’
Dr. Anthony Fauci, the U.S. government’s top infectious disease expert, angrily accused Senator Rand Paul of making false accusations that are leading to threats against him -- all to raise political cash.
Family accuses employer of making their loved one work on-site despite pleas to work remotely
A family is accusing a Riverside County employer of not letting their beloved family member with pre-existing conditions work remotely during a COVID-19 surge. He died in February 2021.
Health officials let COVID-infected nurses and healthcare workers keep working
California health authorities announced over the weekend that hospital staff members who test positive but are symptom-free can continue working. Some hospitals in Rhode Island and Arizona have likewise told employees they can stay on the job if they have no symptoms or just mild ones.
US finalizing plans to ship free COVID-19 tests via USPS, shares 1st contracts
The White House is finalizing plans to ship free at-home COVID-19 tests to Americans nationwide and has awarded its first contracts as part of this pledge.
Oakland School for the Arts temporarily shuts down for COVID
Oakland School for the Arts has shutdown for the remainder of the week, blaming staff shortages because of quarantines.
New Sonoma County health order prohibits large gatherings through mid-February
Sonoma County's public health officer issued an order that prohibits gatherings of more than 50 people indoors or more than 100 people outdoors. Situations exempt from the health order include schools, outdoor recess, workplace settings, courthouse activities, places of worship, cafeterias, but also shopping malls, stores, restaurants/food facilities and museums.
With rising demand, Berkeley lab cranks out thousands of PCR tests a day
One Berkeley lab can process 4,000 samples a day.
China locks down third city, raising affected to 20 million
A third Chinese city has locked down its residents because of a COVID-19 outbreak, raising the number confined to their homes in China to about 20 million people.
Unauthorized COVID testing site in San Francisco has outdated license
As omicron cases surge, the demand for COVID testing is through the roof, but health experts in San Francisco are warning people to be careful which sites they go to for testing.
Private insurers to cover home COVID-19 tests starting Saturday
Under the new policy, Americans will be able to either purchase home testing kits for free under their insurance or submit receipts for the tests for reimbursement, up to the monthly per-person limit.
Hayward Unified to go remote despite warnings not to; risks losing $2.5M a day
The Hayward Unified School District will switch to all-remote learning for its 20,000 students on Tuesday, making it the first in the Bay Area to revert to online learning for the next week despite being warned by the county and the state that they should not do that.
6 San Francisco COVID test sites close, 4 reduce hours; due to computer problems, staffing shortages
San Francisco's Department of Health officials Monday said four testing sites will be temporarily reducing their hours because of staffing shortages and increased processing times.
California governor forbids price-gouging of at-home COVID tests
Gov. Gavin Newsom signed an executive order this weekend aimed at preventing price gouging on COVID-19 at-home test kits, which are in high demand due to the omicron variant surge.
911 calls spike in San Francisco with callers asking for COVID help
Demand for emergency medical assistance in San Francisco stabilized to typical levels on Saturday night, following a spike in calls last week due to residents seeking help for COVID-19 symptoms, officials said.
Pinole temporarily closes police building due to COVID concerns
An increase in COVID cases is forcing the temporary closure of a city building in Pinole.
COVID and confusing rules challenge California school reopenings
Complicating matters are conflicting messages from state and county officials about closing schools and the number of days school staff must quarantine after a positive test or exposure.
CDC guidelines: When is the best time to get tested for COVID-19 after exposure?
With COVID-19 cases rising related to the omicron variant, the CDC explains the best time to get tested for the virus after exposure.