Omicron Variant Is on the Rise Globally and in the U.S.; Two Shots Are Not Enough Anymore and Getting a Booster Right Away Is Critical SANTA CLARA COUNTY, CALIF. – With the Omicron variant rapidly spreading throughout the world and the effectiveness of the initial COVID-19 vaccine series diminishing over time, the County of Santa Clara is strongly urging everyone eligible to obtain a booster shot right away. Booster shots are available, through both appointments and drop-in availability, at many pharmacies, clinics, and mass vaccination locations throughout the County. Everyone 16 and older who is six months out from their second Pfizer or Moderna vaccine, or two months out from their Johnson & Johnson vaccine, is ... December 20, 2021 COVID19, General, Public Health COVID-19, Omicron, Variant 0 0 Comment Read More »
The Work of Family Caregiving: Invisible, Costly, and Taxing Laura’s 78-year-old mother fell off a health cliff, spiraling downward in a decline that’s not uncommon among older adults. “She went from normal cognition to thinking it was her wedding day and that I was her mother,” Laura told Vox journalist Anne Helen Petersen. “She didn’t know how to walk and didn’t remember what had happened to her.” Laura, whose last name and location were withheld to protect her privacy, spent the next few years caring for her parents. Like many other Americans who become full-time caretakers, she had limited options. Medicare doesn’t cover ... December 6, 2021 General, Healthcare, Medi-Cal, Patient Care California, Caregiving, Essential Coverage, Medi-Cal 0 0 Comment Read More »
Special Children's Vaccination Center At The Fairgrounds As the vaccine rollout continues for children ages 5-11, the children’s mass vaccination center in the Santa Clara County Fairgrounds Expo Hall has transformed into a kid-friendly environment to ease the “needle nerves.” Through donations by the Valley Medical Center, the space has become a jungle with music and games to keep kids occupied before and after their shots. To schedule your child’s appointment please visit www.vax.sccgov.org. The Santa Clara County continues to encourage its residents to get vaccinated, including the booster shot. Booster shots are now available to everyone ... November 22, 2021 General, Patient Care, Public Health Vaccinations, Vaccine 0 0 Comment Read More »
2021 Edition -- Health Disparities by Race and Ethnicity in California CALIFORNIA HEALTH CARE FOUNDATION -- All Californians should have access to the high-quality health care they need to lead long and healthy lives. Achieving this requires reducing disparities in health care and the social determinants of health that affect historically excluded or marginalized groups.1 Disparities occur across many demographic categories, including race/ethnicity, socioeconomic status, age, place of residence, gender, disability status, language, and sexual orientation. As one ... November 18, 2021 General, Patient Care, Public Health Health Disparities, Social Determinants, Socioeconomic Status 0 0 Comment Read More »
California Screens More Than 500,000 Children and Adults for Adverse Childhood Experiences The California Department of Health Care Services (DHCS), in partnership with the Office of the California Surgeon General (CA-OSG), today announced that the ACEs Aware initiative has reached two key milestones less than two years after launching. To date, more than 20,500 California clinicians have been trained to screen for Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs), and more than 500,000 children and adults across the state have been screened for ACEs. Research shows that 62 percent of Californians have experienced at least one ACE. Emerging data show that the COVID-19 pandemic is leading to significant increases in ... November 9, 2021 General California, CA-OSG, DHCS 0 0 Comment Read More »
