San Benito County COVID-19 Digest

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has granted emergency use authorization to the first COVID-19 test that detects chemicals associated with the coronavirus in breath. The InspectIR COVID-19 Breathalyzer gives results in less than three minutes.

California is delaying a coronavirus vaccine mandate for schoolchildren until at least the summer of 2023. The state was the first to announce a mandate, but it will not take effect until federal regulators give final approval to the vaccine for children.

On Feb. 16, California officials said that the state’s long-range plan for COVID-19 will focus on flexible responses to future variants and shift from an emergency mindset into one that assumes coexistence with the virus.

BenitoLink spoke with San Benito County Public Health Officer Dr. George Gellert on Jan. 25 about the county’s COVID-19 numbers and other topics residents say are confusing.

As the omicron COVID-19 variant continues to spread through California, many are using over-the-counter testing kits. If you test positive, what do you do with your result?

U.S. health officials have lowered isolation restrictions from 10 to five days for patients with coronavirus. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention officials said the guidance reflects evidence that people are most infectious two days before and three days after symptoms develop.

San Benito County will host a forum focused on COVID-19 and kid vaccines via Zoom on Dec. 14.

Vaccine boosters are now available to all adults in San Benito County, which is promoting the shot through press releases.

A release from San Benito County states that the Board of Supervisors will continue to hold meetings in a hybrid format with zoom and in-person options. Other local bodies can continue social distancing measures for public meetings, including remote or hybrid formats.

San Benito County will receive more than $12 million in COVID-related relief from the federal government’s American Rescue Plan Act. Local officials are asking residents and community members for ideas on the best uses for the funds.

Since San Benito County began to offer a $200 incentive last month to get residents fully vaccinated against COVID-19, 2,325 residents have received at least one dose.

The Central Coast YMCA is offering free membership for 12- to 18-year-olds who can show proof of vaccination. The offer runs through Oct. 31 at YMCA locations in Salinas, San Benito County and Watsonville.

With the recent receipt of grant funds from local organizations, the nonprofit Catholic Charities has $17,041 available for emergency rental assistance services to residents of San Benito County impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Restaurants in Hollister and San Juan Bautista are now hiring and have had to adopt creative ways to attract applicants.

The local OptumServe Covid-19 testing site will move from the Veterans Building to the Hazel Hawkins Community Health Center as of Sept. 12, according to county officials.

The San Benito County Sheriff’s Department is investigating a threat received by Supervisor Bea Gonzales following her Aug. 25 vote to approve a policy that requires unvaccinated county employees to get tested twice weekly.

California has some of the most extensive workplace vaccine requirements in the nation, but they don’t cover every industry. Some advocates say the state should expand its vaccine mandates to certain industries.

Eligible San Benito County residents and employees could receive $200 in cash for if they have completed a full series of COVID-19 vaccination shots since Aug. 10, and $25 gift cards for receiving at least one dose since the same date.

A Harvard University study found evidence linking smoke from wildfires in California, Oregon and Washington in 2020 to rising COVID cases and deaths. They said that fine particulate matter acts as a vehicle for spreading infection and makes existing cases worse.

The Aug. 24 meeting of the San Benito High School Board of Trustees was interrupted because 15-year-old Peyton Evans—daughter of anti-mask activist Courtney Evans—was sitting near the entrance without a mask.

The San Benito County Board of Supervisors voted 3-1 to require that unvaccinated county employees be tested twice weekly for COVID-19. The decision came a day after supervisors cleared the chambers in response to constant interruptions by opponents of the policy.

Courtney Evans, who is facing a trial for trespassing and resisting arrest after she was ordered out of the Dec. 15 meeting of the San Benito County Board of Supervisors, has sued ex-supe Jaime De La Cruz and two county deputies, claiming “sexual assault” and “torture.”

San Benito County Free Library temporarily closed after anti-maskers staged a walk-in protest against the state mandate. No arrests were made; while telephone and curbside services continue, the library is closed until Aug. 25.

California teenagers are looking for help from friends, parents and teachers, according to a survey released by Blue Shield of California. The survey polled 500 students ages 13 to 18 about their mental health before and during the pandemic.

BenitoLink’s Noe Magana reports that the county board of supervisors may require COVID-19 vaccinations for county employees; supes are split on the issue.

Low-income Californians enrolled in Medi-Cal have been vaccinated at far lower rates than the overall population. About 45 percent of eligible Medi-Cal enrollees had received at least one dose as of July 18, compared to about 70 percent of all eligible Californians, state officials said.

Monterey, Santa Cruz and San Benito counties have all issued a mask recommendation as the state and country see growing COVID-19 cases.

While the federal government has loosened mask mandates, California Health officials announced Monday that masks will be required indoors until June 15.

Local jurisdictions that receive funds can use the money only for specific purposes identified in the massive federal stimulus program, which was approved to combat the economic impact of the coronavirus pandemic.

In the two weeks that he has been traveling around the Central Coast, the congressman said he has witnessed a sense of optimism “not felt over the past year.”

Per the state’s Blueprint for a Safer Economy, the Orange Tier allows retail establishments to operate at full capacity, while restaurants, places of worship, movie theaters and museums may increase indoor operations to 50 percent of capacity.

The district will follow a hybrid model, which includes morning and afternoon sessions on Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays. Wednesdays will be remote learning days.