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Santa Clara County Health Articles



Image caption: Donald Trump greets Kevin McCarthy (R-CA 23) whose district includes two of California’s highest murder-rate counties.
Why Are Murder Rates High in Some Republican Counties?

Homicide rates remain high in some of California's most Republican, Trump-voting counties. Are law-and-order policies against crime a bust? Here’s why political voting patterns are a strong indicator of violent crime in states and counties.

Gilroy Dispatch logo LOCAL NEWS
County Obtains Novavax Inoculation Doses

Santa Clara County announced Tuesday that it has acquired the new Novavax Covid-19 vaccine and will begin administering the vaccine at all County Health System vaccination sites on Aug. 2. Unlike the currently available Pfizer and Moderna vaccines that use …

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County Physicians Say Working Conditions Are Causing ‘Moral Injuries’

Short staffing, heavy patient workloads and other conditions lead to dangerous “moral injury” occurrences in the county’s health and hospital system, doctors say.

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Abortion Pills Will Be Available at San Jose State in 2023

University of California and Cal State campuses will all start providing medication abortion beginning Jan. 1 under a new state law. In the aftermath of the Supreme Court’s decision overturning Roe v. Wade, opening up abortion appointments on university campuses …

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Nonprofit to test heart health of student athletes

A Los Gatos nonprofit started by the family of a teenager who died unexpectedly has launched a partnership with the Campbell Union High School District to test the hearts of some students. On June 16, the District voted to require …

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Study: Employers Fail to Keep Farmworkers Safe From Covid

Although farm and food production workers were considered essential workers during the pandemic, many of California's food employers endangered those workers, violating Cal/OSHA's Covid-19 guidelines more often than most industries, a new report said. The California Institute for Rural Studies’ …

Image caption: Californians may soon mask in public places again, as the BA.5 COVID variant sweeps the state.
What the COVID BA.5 Variant Means For California

California is headed for a new COVID surge as BA.5, the most contagious variant of the virus yet discovered, arrives in the state, apparently causing an uptick in hospitalizations and deaths.

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Stroke Awareness Foundation boosts outreach

The Stroke Awareness Foundation (SAF) announced a new board member June 30 who is expected to bolster the organization’s efforts to inform communities of the signs associated with the devastating disease. Chris Wilder, the former executive director of the Valley …

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Providers Ready to Ramp Up Services in Wake of Ruling

As the news broke on June 24 that the Supreme Court had overturned Roe v. Wade, local healthcare activists and politicians reflected the general sentiment that reverberated across Santa Clara County: anger, sadness and shock. But in the midst of …

Image caption: Justice Clarence Thomas calls for SCOTUS to pull back even more established rights after Roe v. Wade.
Why Clarence Thomas Wants to Throw Out Your Rights

Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas wrote that after overturning Roe v. Wade SCOTUS must now overturn decisions allowing same-sex marriage and contraception. Here's why.

Gilroy Dispatch logo LOCAL NEWS
City Declares Water Safe to Drink

Gilroy's drinking water supply is now safe for consumption again, according to the city's public works department. Public Works Director Daryl Jordan said June 17 the state's Division of Drinking Water has determined that previous restrictions may now be rescinded …

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High Nitrate Levels Found in Gilroy Well

City officials shut down a well in east Gilroy June 16 after crews discovered its water had high levels of the dangerous nitrate chemical. The city issued a drinking water warning in the evening when a routine test of the …

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County Health Prepares to Vaccinate Children Under Five

Santa Clara County health officials said June 17 that they are ready to open Covid-19 vaccine eligibility to the county’s youngest children once they are federally authorized as expected next week.  Federal regulators are on track to approve the Moderna …

Image caption: Diablo Canyon nuclear power plant in San Luis Obispo County, California.
Nuclear Power in California: The Good, the Bad and the Ugly

California may soon shut down its last nuclear power plant, but Gov. Gavin Newsom who once championed the closure has had a change of heart. Federal funds may now keep the plant running.

Image caption: A California constitutional amendment protecting abortion rights is in the works.
Abortion Rights in California After SCOTUS Opinion

Abortion rights will remain protected, even expanded in California after the Supreme Court overturns Roe v. Wade, Gov. Gavin Newsom vows after a leaked SCOTUS opinion reveals the court plans to abolish the right to choose.

Image caption: Gov. Newsom’s new SMARTER plan anticipates that COVID will move from pandemic to endemic.
California’s New ‘Endemic’ COVID Plan

California has a new plan for dealing with COVID as the disease becomes endemic. But does that mean the pandemic is over? Here’s what Gov. Newsom is proposing.

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Santa Clara County Optimistic Outdoor Mask Mandate Will Be Lifted March 2

Public Health Officer Dr. Sara Cody said state indoor masking requirements would still apply for unvaccinated individuals and in schools and other settings regardless of vaccination status.

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New Dashboard Provides Public Window into Santa Clara County Death Data

New Santa Clara County Medical Examiner-Coroner site shows case records, analytics and GIS mapping that offer comprehensive information for journalists, data researchers, law enforcement and the general public.

Image caption: How much is too much? There’s no simple answer, but here are some questions to ponder.
Six Steps to Mindful Drinking

Thinking about making a change in your relationship to drugs and alcohol? Here are some things to consider.

San Jose Inside logo LOCAL NEWS
California’s Proposed No-Bid Medi-Cal Contract with Kaiser Triggers Concerns

Rival California health insurers say the special deal is unfair and could leave them with high-need patients.

The post California's Proposed No-Bid Medi-Cal Contract with Kaiser Triggers Concerns appeared first on San Jose Inside.

Featured

A smoky blanket of particulate matter hovers over San Francisco’s skyline.
Getting Acquainted With AQI
Learn what's getting into Californians’ lungs and why it matters.
States have expansive powers to protect the health of the general public.
The State’s Broad Power to Protect Public Health, Explained
Since long before the COVID-19 pandemic, states have possessed broad authority to protect public health.
California will soon be getting a new hotline number as an alternative to 911 for mental health crises.
988, the New Mental Health Emergency Number, Explained
Here's the story behind that new service, and the original 911 number.
Mosquitos kill about 725,000 people every year, worldwide.
Taking a Bite Out of the Mosquito Population
How local government tries to control the world’s deadliest wild animal—the mosquito.
Access to abortion in California is limited in many areas, though state laws protect a woman’s right to choose.
Abortion Rights in California, Explained
But even in California, access to abortion services in many areas remains limited.
The California mental health crisis is tied to both homelessness and rising crime.
UPDATE: California’s Mental Health Crisis: How We Got Here
The making of Gov. Newsom's plan to help get mentally ill Californians into treatment.
Many organizations in Santa Clara County can lend a helping hand.
Finding Peace of Mind
Find help from these websites, telephone hotlines and organizations.
Though life expectancy has declined in recent years, Californians still live longer than most Americans.
Want to Live a Long, Healthy Life? Move to California
Californians live longer than people in all but three states, but not all counties are equal.
From nitrates to arsenic to “forever chemicals,” California’s water supply faces a serious pollution threat.
Dirty Water: California Faces a Water Contamination Crisis
In a state that declares water a “human right,” more than 2 percent of its residents have no drinkable water.