Developing Story-Fulgent Genetics Takes Over COVID-19 Testing
While attempting to mitigate the spread of COVID-19, students and staff at UC Santa Cruz are faced with long testing lines, and inaccessible email links. Over winter break, Fulgent Genetics took over the COVID-19 testing at UCSC, and these issues have led many in the...
COVID-19 Regulations for the upcoming quarter
As students return to a more in-person experience this fall, UC Santa Cruz is adapting new policies and guidelines to mitigate the spread of COVID-19, especially with the surge of the Delta variant. “As we have learned over the past year and a half, though,...
Beginning in the Middle: Making up for lost time as a Second Year
For everyone who graduated from high school before me, moving away for college and making new friends was the starting point of a new chapter in their lives and bookends the old chapter at home. I’ve been going to school there for a year now....
Relieving Food Insecurity During a Pandemic
There are 146 confirmed cases of COVID-19 and two associated deaths in Santa Cruz as of May 13. One in five adults and one in four children in Santa Cruz County are food insecure, according to a study that was conducted by the Second Harvest...
Extended Census Deadline Opportunity to Revamp Outreach During COVID-19
Reminders to fill out the U.S. Census have probably flooded your mailbox for the last couple months, but as COVID-19 puts a halt on usual outreach tactics, Santa Cruz County census workers have restrategized to make sure as many people as possible fill out this...
Three Santa Cruz Hotels Contracted for Houseless Isolation
On April 3, Governor Gavin Newsom announced Project Roomkey, a statewide initiative aimed at securing up to 15,000 hotel rooms for houseless individuals. The state acquired 12,603 rooms and 1,200 trailers as of April 29. “This is something that’s going on all over the place,...
Despite Council Vote, Food Not Bombs Continues Providing Meals
Prior to the COVID-19 outbreak, Food Not Bombs (FNB) only provided meals to the houseless community on weekends. Since Santa Cruz’s shelter in place order began on March 17, FNB has served about 100 houseless individuals for over 50 consecutive days. “The thing that’s very...
New Lab Brings COVID-19 Test Processing to UCSC
The UC Santa Cruz Molecular Diagnostic Lab opened its doors on May 1, becoming one of four facilities in Santa Cruz County capable of processing tests for COVID-19. The lab has the theoretical capacity to process upward of 800 COVID-19 test samples per day, though...
CalFresh EBT Use Expanded
Order makes applying for the program easier After the federal government granted California Governor Gavin Newsom’s request on April 28, CalFresh Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) cardholders can now purchase groceries online from Amazon and Walmart. The modification is an effort to safeguard residents and make...
Leverage Left Unused
As COVID-19 continues to sweep through the U.S., President Donald Trump’s once strong economy has been shattered by the virus. House Democrats can use that to their advantage. Prior to the past few months, Trump’s reelection strategy was simple — tout the humming economy, low...