COVID-19

As soon as the first U.S. case of the omicron variant of the coronavirus was reported in San Francisco, California officials began sounding the same message: Don’t panic. “We are not surprised by this. This was predictable. This was predicted,” Gov. Gavin Newsom said in...

WASHINGTON — A highly infectious variant of the coronavirus that was first identified in Britain has become the most common source of new infections in the United States, the director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said Wednesday. The worrisome development comes...

KING CITY — Community Food Pantry of King City will once again be open beginning Friday, April 29, after being closed during the Covid-19 pandemic. Over the past two years, the Food Pantry Board did not feel it was safe for volunteers and families to distribute food. Now, as...

MONTEREY COUNTY — Monterey County Health Officer Dr. Edward Moreno said the county continues to make Covid-19 vaccines available and is looking toward younger demographics to raise vaccination rates during a press briefing on June 9. Of county residents age 12 and older, 63% have...

SALINAS VALLEY — Monterey County health officials have been working with agricultural companies and have reiterated safety plans with the onset of the new growing season, with the goal of keeping ag workers safe and the food supply network stable. “With the start of the...

UNITED STATES — The average number of vaccine doses being administered across the United States per day topped 2 million for the first time Wednesday, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. A month ago, the average was about 1.3...

CALIFORNIA — California will roll back its mask requirement next week for vaccinated residents in most indoor spaces, Gov. Gavin Newsom said Monday. The state implemented the mandate in mid-December as COVID-19 cases began to spike due to the highly infectious omicron variant, requiring residents...

MONTEREY COUNTY — Monterey County’s indoor face covering ordinance has been triggered, with countywide mask requirements taking effect as soon as this Friday. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) published data Monday morning showing that Monterey County was in the “substantial” community transmission rate...

SALINAS VALLEY — Monterey County companies, organizations and agencies have partnered to host mass vaccination sites weekly, with the latest having taken place at the Salinas Valley Fairgrounds in King City last Saturday. Two mass clinics had already taken place earlier this month in Salinas,...

MONTEREY COUNTY — Cal Coastal has announced additional small business loans to assist Monterey County businesses impacted by the Covid-19 pandemic. “New economic support is available for businesses in Monterey County, which are still being negatively impacted by the pandemic,” said Maia Carroll, the county’s...