Fighting back with hugs
By Soumya Karlamangla - Los Angeles Times
Jessica Holzer, 35, of West Hollywood, hugs friend Madeline Brozen, 35, of Los Angeles, for the first time since the COVID-19 pandemic, at Plummer Park on April 11 in Los Angeles, CA. Brandon Carpenter, sitting left, is Holzer’s fiance. People are looking forward to hugging family and friends once they have their COVID-19 vaccine.
LOS ANGELES – Ruth Alcantara stepped closer to her grandmother. Then closer, and closer still.
She crossed into the six-foot buffer zone that had separated them for so long and wrapped her arms around the older woman.
“Hola, abuelita, le extrañe mucho,” she said, inches from her grandmother’s ear. Hi, grandma, I missed you so much.
Ruth Alcantara stepped closer to her grandmother. Then closer, and closer still.
She crossed into the six-foot buffer zone that had separated them for so long and wrapped her arms around the older woman.
“Hola, abuelita, le extrañe mucho,” she said, inches from her grandmother’s ear.
Hi, grandma, I missed you so much.
She felt a kiss on her forehead. Her throat constricted with emotion.
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As more Americans are vaccinated against COVID-19, reunions among loved ones are becoming increasingly frequent and, for many, hugging is the main event.
First routine, then forbidden and now precious, hugs have come to symbolize the next phase of the pandemic, our emergence from the isolation of the past year. Simply put: Hugs can’t be given from six feet away.
Santa Clara County leaders push for exemption from state s vaccination plan
Santa Clara County leaders push for exemption from state s vaccination plan. Jesse Gary reports
SAN JOSE, Calif. - Santa Clara County officials want an exemption from Gov. Gavin Newsom from the state s MyTurn COVID vaccination plan.
County leaders hosted a news conference on Thursday, rallying people around their proposed exemption. We’ll have better ability to make sure that we vaccinate our entire community more quickly, and with more agility on the ground, said District 2 representative on the Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors, Cindy Chavez.
MyTurn is a system to coordinate vaccine appointments and dosing options. But several counties, including Santa Clara County, want to keep that control for themselves, managing the appointments and site locations at a county level through their own health departments.
MyTurn is a system to coordinate vaccine appointments and dosing options. But several counties, including Santa Clara County, want to keep that control for themselves, managing the appointments and site locations at a county level through their own health departments.
A lack of trust over who's in charge of the state's COVID-19 vaccine distribution is leading to more trouble for embattled California Gov. Gavin Newsom. The majority of counties have not yet signed up for his state-run 'My Turn' vaccination plan.