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covid-19 pandemic
Biden: All adults can be vaccinated by end of May Tribune Content Agency
Aaron Rosenblatt/Daily Republic
Trevor Morris lifts weights at the Kroc Center in Suisun City, Wednesday.
Solano numbers climb, but only hospitalizations a concern
Todd R. Hansen
thansen@dailyrepublic.net
FAIRFIELD — Solano County’s top health official said even though the Covid-19 numbers climbed for the second straight day, only the number of individuals hospitalized raised any real concerns. “It bounces. . . . So it is going in the wrong direction, but looking at the numbers, the numbers aren’t that bad,” Dr. Bela Matyas, the county public health officer, said of the overall pandemic picture in Solano County. “Hospitalizations went up 50%, so that’s not trivial,” he said.
The number of individuals in the area hospitals with Covid-related illness was reported Thursday at 21, up from 14 Wednesday. The intensive care unit capacity, however, increased from 34% to 40%, meaning those who are in the hospital do not require ICU care. The county had 35 new coronavirus cases, for a total of 30,488. That is up from 28 new cases Wednesday and just 21 new cases Tuesday. The Saturday-Sunday-Monday daily average was 33 cases. There were no Covid-related deaths reported, keeping that total at 177. The seven-day positivity rate
was reported at 6.1%, up from 5.5%. Fairfield added 11 cases for a total of 8,313, while Vallejo added eight cases to bring its count to 9,051 and Vacaville is at 7,999 after 10 new cases were added. Suisun City (2,060) added four new cases, while there was one new case apiece in Dixon (1,772), Benicia (264) and Rio Vista (337). The total in the unincorporated area was adjusted down by one case, putting the total at 92. Active cases rose from 282 to 294. The number of individuals tested is up to 184,616, and the total number of tests administered is at 278,082.
WASHINGTON — After a grim winter that saw the U.S. death toll from Covid-19 rise past half a million, President Joe Biden sought to foster – and benefit from – a national surge of optimism about the pandemic, the economy and the country’s condition in a White House speech Thursday evening. By May 1, restrictions on who can make a Covid-19 vaccine appointment will be lifted nationwide, Biden said. The current limitations no longer will be needed because vaccine supply will be adequate to meet
demand. All American adults should be able to get at least a first shot by the end of May, he added. The goal is to have a nation “closer to normal” by July 4 with at least “small gatherings” on Day, Independence “when we celebrate our independence as a nation and begin to celebrate our independence from this virus,” he said. Although the speech conta ined somber notes – honoring the 527,726 who’ve died of the disease and denouncing violence against Asian Americans, whom Biden said had been scapegoated – the overall tone See Biden, Page A8
Alex Wong/Getty Images/TNS
President Joe Biden delivers an address to the nation from the East Room of the White House in Washington, D.C., Thursday. President Biden gave the address to mark the one-year anniversary of the shutdown due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
State shows mixed progress with unemployment claims Daily Republic Staff
drnews@dailyrepublic.net
FAIRFIELD — California unemployment claims show mixed results in a WalletHub study released Thursday. The state ranks 26th, just one slot below average, when it comes to the change in unemployment claims. Almost 106,000 claims were filed the week of March 1. California also has the 17th quickest recovery in the nation when it comes to the start of Covid-19 vs.
the prior year, 2019. The report shows the state has the 14th slowest recovery when it comes to the change in unemployment claims comparing the week of March 1 to the week of Jan. 1, 2020. “Due to the progress we’ve made toward vaccination and reopening, new unemployment claims decreased week-overweek on March 1, and were 90% below the peak during the Covid-19 pandemic,” the report said. WalletHub compared the
50 states and the District of Columbia across three metrics based on changes in unemployment claims to identify which states’ workforces are experiencing the quickest recovery from Covid-19. The report also included questions. How will the newly passed American Rescue Plan affect the unemployed? “The American Rescue Plan should have a positive impact on the unemployed, and the extension of the extra weekly $300 in
unemployment benefits through September is the most helpful aspect. By September, everyone who wants a vaccine should be vaccinated, which means businesses will have much looser restrictions and can begin hiring in full force,” wrote Jill Gonzalez, a WalletHub analyst. “The American Rescue Plan’s $7 billion in new Paycheck Protection Program funding will be incredibly helpful, too, because the same program saved over 51 million jobs the first time around. Both unemployed and
employed Americans should also use the package’s $1,400 stimulus checks to make payments on essential bills or rebuild their savings,” Gonzalez wrote. Do you expect companies to require getting the Covid-19 vaccine as a condition for employment? “It is likely that some companies will require getting the Covid-19 vaccine as a condition for employment, with obvious exemptions for people who are See Claims, Page A8
Recall effort targets 2 Benicia school trustees Vaca council may be next Todd R. Hansen
thansen@dailyrepublic.net
FAIRFIELD — Two members of the Benicia School District board have been targeted for recall, and the county Registrar of Voters Office has received recall inquiries about the Vacaville City Council. John Gardner, the assistant
registrar of voters, said Thursday the office is just waiting for proof that the notice of intention to circulate a recall petition has been published to give the final OK to collect signatures in Benicia. The trustees who are the subject of the recall are Sheri Zada, who represents Trustee Area 1, and Mark Maselli, who represents Trustee Area 4. Both have terms that end in 2022. The reasons for the recall efforts focus on the petitioners’ belief that students should be
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back in the classrooms. The language in the notices to circulate recall petitions is identical. Each begins with the last name of the trustee, Zada and Maselli, then states, “is failing to represent (her, his) constituents. (She, He) is denying and rationing students access to schools, staff and services. (Her, His) actions are having undeniably profound and negative consequences on students, of which (she, he) is fully aware . . .” Zada responded, in part, by stating, “During a once-in-a-
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lifetime pandemic the (Benicia School District) school board had to make difficult decisions. Our decisions are based on health expert guidance, state and county regulations and executive orders. Recalling someone because you don’t like their vote on an issue is irresponsible.” Maselli’s response, in part, is, “As an educator and board member, I feel a strong responsibility to protect our students, teachers and the community. Investing in educating our kids while ensuring they are kept
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safe from harm, is our primary concern. Covid-19 has put us all at risk – the risk of infection and the possible risk of death are real . . . .” Gardner said the Elections Office also has received calls seeking information about the number of signatures that would be required to get a recall measure on the ballot involving the Vacaville City Council. Which council member or members could be the subject
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See Recall, Page A8