It was a very merry, yet quiet Christmas in the Coachella Valley. It’s a time when people come together to be with their loved ones. Over the past week, thousands of people flocked to the desert to celebrate. “All of our family lives on different sides of the country so we decided let’s pick somewhere
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By DON THOMPSON SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — The highly contagious omicron variant is evident in 50% to 70% of new coronavirus cases in parts of the most populous state heading into the holidays, California health officials said Thursday. Omicron has quickly become the most common form of the coronavirus in the U.S., accounting for 73%
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The valley’s only epidemiologist says Covid infections are on the rise, affecting all ages. The percent-positivity has more than doubled in the last few weeks. News Channel 3’s Peter Daut spoke in-depth with Dr. Patricia Cummings from Eisenhower Health.
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Nearly 90 employees of Mastro’s Steakhouse in Palm Desert have been ordered to get tested for COVID-19 after a major outbreak among workers that included a case of the Omicron variant, health officials announced on Wednesday. At this time, it is the first Omicron case in the Coachella Valley. Riverside County reported its first case
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By LAURA UNGAR and MIKE STOBBE Two new British studies provide some early hints that the omicron variant of the coronavirus may be milder than the delta version. Scientists stress that even if the findings of these early studies hold up, any reductions in severity need to be weighed against the fact omicron spreads much faster than
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The California State University announced today that faculty, staff, and students who are accessing university facilities or programs will be required to get a COVID-19 vaccine booster shot. Students and employees will be permitted to seek exemptions on medical and religious grounds. “Vaccination, including a booster when eligible, remains our most effective strategy against infection
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WASHINGTON (AP) — The U.S. has authorized the first pill against COVID-19, a Pfizer drug that Americans can take at home to reduce the risk of hospitalization and death. The Food and Drug Administration announcement comes as the U.S. braces for a wave of new infections from the omicron variant that is threatening already-strained hospitals.
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Governor Gavin Newsom announced new state actions, including a booster mandate for healthcare workers, during a news conference Wednesday morning. By February 1, 2022, health care workers and all employees in high-risk congregate settings, including nursing homes, will be required to get their booster. In the interim, all health care staff that have not received their
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President Joe Biden announced his plan to get the omicron variant under control. This includes free at-home testing kits for all Americans, increased support for hospitals under strain, and a redoubling of vaccination and booster efforts. So what does the president’s message mean for Riverside County? News Channel 3’s Peter Daut spoke with Dr. Shunling
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Gov. Gavin Newsom announced that California will be requiring healthcare workers to get a COVID-19 vaccination booster shot. Never miss an update: download the News Channel 3 News App here. Details on the requirements were limited. Newsom said there would be more information available on Wednesday during an official announcement. CA will require healthcare workers
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The holidays are almost here, and the CDC is recommending people get tested before getting together with loved ones to stay safe. Some COVID-19 testing sites in the valley have been getting longer lines as the demand for testing has gone up. So instead of waiting for an appointment, some people have opted to buy a rapid
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UC Riverside will shift back to remote classes for two weeks in January and tighten COVID-19 testing requirements in response to surging infections and concerns about holiday gatherings that could lead to more spread of the virus. UCR Chancellor Kim Wilcox made the announcement in a letter to the campus community, saying the move responds
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WASHINGTON (AP) — Fighting the omicron variant surging through the country, President Joe Biden announced the government will provide 500 million free rapid home-testing kits, increase support for hospitals under strain and redouble vaccination and boosting efforts. At the White House on Tuesday, Biden detailed major changes to his COVID-19 winter plan, his hand forced by the fast-spreading
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Navy officials in San Diego today released the name of a sailor from Lake Elsinore who died of COVID-related complications over the weekend. Lt. Ivey Quintana-Martinez died Saturday at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles, according to the Navy. He was 35. Quintana-Martinez, who was assigned to Navy Reserve Center San Diego, was admitted
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With the holidays right around the corner, the Riverside County Public Health lab is working to get Covid-19 test results out fast. It’s where the county’s PCR tests are sent for examination. When the lab receives samples, it’s first stop is through it extraction machine. “This is our platform that extracts the viral RNA from
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Riverside County health officials reported the first confirmed case of the Omicron variant on Friday. Officials said it was found in a 41-year-old fully vaccinated man from the western part of the county. Officials received confirmation this week. County health officials said they are investigating whether the man had traveled before being tested for COVID-19
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With the holidays just right around the corner, millions nationwide are gearing up to travel and to get together with family. Hospitals are bracing for a new wave of covid cases, and health officials are urging people to stay protected and get tested. Several tests that can be taken before heading to your next destination,
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By GEOFF MULVIHILL and ANDREW DeMILLO A federal appeals court panel on Friday allowed President Joe Biden’s COVID-19 vaccine mandate for larger private employers to move ahead. The 2-1 decision by a panel of the 6th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals reverses a decision by a federal judge in a separate court that had paused
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Most Americans should be given the Pfizer or Moderna vaccines instead of the Johnson & Johnson shot that can cause rare but serious blood clots, U.S. health advisers recommended Thursday. The strange clotting problem has caused nine confirmed deaths after J&J vaccinations — while the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines don’t come with that risk and
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From COVID-19 virus variants to vaccine boosters — and everything in between — we’ve been hearing from viewers about their questions as the pandemic continues to evolve. Watch our full half-hour special in the player above featuring a panel of local health experts answering your coronavirus questions. You can continue to submit questions by emailing
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