COVID-19

California lifted most of its Covid-19 restrictions and officially reopened Tuesday, marking the moment with state-subsidized vacation giveaways and $15 million in vaccine lottery prizes as it emerged from the pandemic politically divided but economically formidable. One of the last U.S. states to reopen, California...

San Benito County officials are anticipating some more progress in the fight against Covid-19 as they plan to advance into the first of two tiers in Phase 1B of California’s vaccination plan.  The county issued a press release on Jan. 23 stating that the county...

Two state assemblymembers on Tuesday announced a new $3 billion bond measure that aims to spur Covid-19 economic recovery while combating climate change and food insecurity.  Assemblymembers Robert Rivas, D-Hollister, and Ash Kalra, D-San Jose, announced Assembly Bill 125—the Equitable Economic Recovery, Healthy Food Access,...

As of Dec. 10, San Benito County Public Health officials have reported 2,314 confirmed cases of the novel coronavirus in the county, which is an increase of 385 cases reported since the start of this month. The local death count remains at 19, according...

Bars and breweries in Hollister may have to shut down this weekend and beyond following some modifications made by the state due to rising cases of Covid-19.  San Benito County officials announced July 8 that Dr. David Ghilarducci, county interim health officer, issued an order...

The City of Hollister has been cracking down on its face mask ordinance, issuing fines and citations for those flouting the rules in public places.  City Development Services director Bryan Swanson on Dec. 7 provided an update during the city council meeting on the face...

Public health officials say they’ve detected the first known cases of a South African Covid-19 variant in Santa Clara and Alameda counties. Chief health officers in each jurisdiction, doctors Sara Cody and Nicholas Moss, hosted a press conference Feb. 10 to field questions about the...

After weeks of constant spikes in new coronavirus cases, the San Benito County Board of Supervisors hoped to curtail the public health crisis by passing a new ordinance that could cite individuals and commercial sites for not following state guidelines.  The board held a special...

San Benito High School moved one step forward to getting student-athletes back to the playing field as the state lifted the region’s stay-at-home order, allowing at least one of the programs to compete this year.  Athletic Director Tod Thatcher announced that the Fall Season 1—which...

Federal regulators issued their full approval Jan. 31 of the Moderna Covid-19 vaccine, the second approval of a Covid vaccine outside of its emergency use authorization.  The FDA issued its full approval of the vaccine after considering data from roughly 14,000 vaccine recipients and 14,000...