Find an updated number of COVID-19 cases in California and by county on our tracker here.
Thursday April 1st
5:20 pm: State advice no longer requires residents not to travel more than 120 miles from home
California was updated his coronavirus travel advice remove the recommendation that Californians travel no more than 120 miles from home.
The state continues to advise that postponing travel and staying home are the best ways to protect yourself and others from the virus.
The update of the travel advice takes place on the same day on which the state authorizes all persons aged 50 and over to be vaccinated.
The state has issued the following guidelines for travelers:
- All travelers coming to or returning to California from other states or countries should follow the CDC tour guide.
- All travelers should be tested with a virus test 1-3 days before departure.
- All travelers who test positive or develop symptoms of COVID-19 should isolate and follow public health recommendations.
To date, more than 18.4 million doses of vaccine have been administered in California.
5:08 pm: The state audit credits the health department for testing, but contact tracing is inadequate
The accountant released a report Thursday that found the California Department of Health’s pandemic spending had mixed results.
The department exceeded its test expectations and doubled its target late last year.
But it struggled in other areas. The state and its local counterparts have fewer than half the originally planned contact tracers.
And local health department spending was not monitored. The auditor found that the state did not collect progress reports from all counties and did not properly assess its data systems.
The Department of Health announces that it will revise its plan for hiring contact tracers and work with counties to ensure they submit the necessary updates.
4:56 pm: Governor Newsom Receives Johnson & Johnson COVID Vaccine
Governor Gavin Newsom has received his dose of the one-time COVID vaccine from Johnson-and-Johnson. He got it Thursday, the same day Those aged 50 and over in California were eligible for vaccinations.
“Today is obviously an important day with an opportunity for people my age who have waited,” said Newsom, 53.
Afterward, Newsom urged Californians to remain vigilant about wearing masks and social distancing.
“The disease doesn’t take an Easter weekend off. This disease doesn’t take a spring outbreak. This disease remains deadlier than ever,” he said.
California has given more than 18 million doses to date and 6.7 million people are fully vaccinated. The Democratic governor probably will stand before a callback dial partly due to his handling of the pandemic.
10:45 am: Elk Grove Unified School District reopens middle and high school for personal learning
The Elk Grove Unified School District welcomes middle and high school students to face-to-face classes on Thursday.
Students have the option to return to campus two days a week wearing masks and at a distance of two meters. EGUSD spokesman Xanthi Soriano said some elementary school students have been back in the classroom for a few weeks and are following safety guidelines.
“On campus we will still keep a distance of three meters from April 13th. We will change this to move the desks to a distance of three meters, with a few exceptions,” said Soriano.
Soon, older students will also be able to teach face-to-face four days a week, with desks three feet apart, as per federal health guidelines.
“We will see another wave of students who can access the resources we have in our schools,” said Soriano. “It will just be a great opportunity for them to have access to a routine and all school locations, including nutrition.”
While the district has struggled with COVID-19 exposures since it reopened, Soriano said the school is ready to control transmission through quarantine and contact tracing.
10:15 am: Can I still spread COVID-19 after vaccination? Yes, but the risk seems small.
AP Illustration / Peter Hamlin
Experts are still studying how well COVID-19 vaccines are at preventing people from spreading the virus, but they believe the risk is small. according to the Associated Press.
Current vaccines greatly prevent people from getting seriously ill with the coronavirus, but people who have been vaccinated could become infected asymptomatically and spread it to others.
Given the uncertainty, experts say fully vaccinated people should continue to wear masks, keep social distance in public and when visiting unvaccinated and high-risk friends and family members.
10:09 am: Biden Launches Community Corps to Promote COVID-19 Vaccinations in the United States
The Biden Government Unveils a Coalition of Community, Religious, and Celebrity Partners to Promote COVID-19 Shots to Overcome Vaccine Reluctance.
The Department of Health and Human Services’ new “We Can Do This” campaign includes television and social media ads, according to the Associated Press.
The campaign relies on a community corps from the public health, sports, faith and other groups to publicize the safety and effectiveness of the three approved coronavirus vaccines.
Vice President Kamala Harris and Surgeon General Vivek Murthy met with more than 275 members of the First Community Corps Thursday to launch the effort.
You can find older coronavirus updates on our previous blog page here.
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