The ruling reversed the court’s earlier decision to provide an exception for churches to the county's prohibition.

Jeff Smith says a well-enforced state order would be more effective than announcements about body bags and overflow morgues.

Since the initial amount will be limited, vaccines will be prioritized for health care workers, who are most at risk of contracting the disease.

On Tuesday, the county saw its highest single-day case count with 512 new Covid-19 infections, as well as a record number of hospitalizations.

The county’s Business Compliance Unit will focus on social distancing protocols and capacity limitations required by the public health order.

Indoor dining, gyms, churches and gatherings are prohibited under the purple tier.

Health officials said they anticipate the state will move Santa Clara County back into the more restrictive Red Tier next week.

Small businesses now have until March 21, 2021, to pay back 50 percent of past-due rent, a reprieve that comes as Covid-19 cases spike.

Santa Clara County on Sunday reported 358 new diagnoses—a single-day case count second only to the record 385 tallied on July 15.

Under the new reopening tier, which goes into effect at midnight, more establishments can expand indoor operations—with certain limitations.

County Public Health Officer Dr. Sara Cody issued the revisions to the mandate, saying private providers need to step up to the plate.

If Santa Clara County maintains progress in slowing Covid-19 for the next two weeks, schools may be able to reopen as well, officials said.

County Environmental Health Director Michael Balliet leads the fledgling unit, which has already starting bringing scofflaws in line.

The new ordinance “is critical to deal with the significant volume of complaints,” County Counsel James Williams told the Board of Supervisors.

The DA would have begun the grand jury proceedings sooner had the pandemic not forced a months-long shutdown of the courts.

More businesses and workplaces could re-open in Santa Clara County as early as July 13, as long as new strict social distancing rules and other COVID-19 public health protocols are met, Santa Clara County officials announced today. (more…)