Coronavirus Resources

The coronavirus pandemic has created new challenges for communities throughout the world. Whether you need help getting access to food, filing for unemployment or finding a way to make a difference for others, we've assembled a collection of resource guides to direct you to local, state and federal programs.

A few key guides include:

Food Resources: English | Spanish
Resources for the Undocumented and Uninsured: English | Spanish
Santa Clara County Resources
Financial Resources
How to Help
Resources for Seniors and Vulnerable Populations
Tips for Spotting Fake News Stories — And Where to Find Sources You Can Trust

Browse all of our resources below.

Coronavirus Updates

March 10, 2021

Some COVID-19 restrictions may be lifted as soon as Sunday

By Marc Albert Sonoma County is on the brink of being able to lift some pandemic-related restrictions….as soon as this weekend. That could mean cinemas, gyms, museums, zoos, and restaurants could reopen, though none at full capacity. Orders limiting the number of shoppers in a grocery store at any…
March 10, 2021

Sonoma schools readying classrooms for resumption of classes

Sonoma County schools are preparing for students’ return to campuses. Credit: “Courtesy of SCOE With vaccines more available, cases waning and the ink dry on a 6.6 billion dollar state plan, Sonoma County schools are preparing to resume in-person for the first time in a year. Under the deal signed…
December 06, 2020

Understanding the New Regional Stay-At-Home Orders

Regional Stay Home Orders will go into effect within 24 hours in regions with less than 15% ICU availability, and prohibits private gatherings of any size, closes most businesses and services except for critical infrastructure and retail, and requires 100% masking and physical distancing in all…
November 05, 2020

California Offered a Lifeline When Their Hours Were Cut — Then Payments Froze

By Lauren Hepler November 3, 2020November 4, 2020 Lea este artículo en español. (Bailey Brown at her home in Pismo Beach on Oct. 25, 2020. Photo by Robert Oliver for CalMatters.) Bailey Brown had never heard of Work Sharing when her boss pitched the state program to keep her and her co-workers on…
October 29, 2020

Coronavirus: A Weekly Report from NPR News – Friday at 8pm & Sunday at 12am

Hosted by Lulu Garcia-Navarro, this special report features the best of NPR's reporting on the coronavirus crisis over the past week, with a focus on the latest science, wide-scale impacts, and things you can do to stay safe. Find our complete programming schedule here.
October 19, 2020

Exclusive: Kaiser Cited for Failing to Treat COVID-19 as Airborne

By Jackie Botts and Ana B. Ibarra, CalMatters October 16, 2020 California workplace safety officials issued a serious citation against a Kaiser Permanente psychiatric facility in Santa Clara, accusing the center of failing to provide workers with N95 masks and other protection against COVID-19. But…
Jul 23, 2020

KBBF Informe: Licencia Por Enfermedad Remunerada, Paid Sick Leave

Por Edgar Avila, KBBF Radio This episode was produced by Edgar Avila, KBBF Radio This article is a summary of a KBBF informe special loosely…
Jul 21, 2020

Hundreds of Healthcare Workers at Santa Rosa Memorial Hospital Strike Over Safety Concerns and Benefits

Santa Rosa Memorial Hospital Workers are on strike for the week to demand a safer workplace. They say Providence St. Joseph Health, which owns the…
Jul 07, 2020

Santa Rosa City Council to Vote on Emergency Sick Leave

We provide local news updates on The North Bay Report Tuesday-Friday at 6:45, 8:45 a.m., and 5:30 p.m. on KRCB radio 91 and 90.9. Here's our North…
Jun 15, 2020

County Coronavirus Health Disparities Continue To Grow

Latino residents in Sonoma County are now nine times more likely to become infected with coronavirus than white residents. On Thursday, the Latino…
Jun 12, 2020

Public Health Officials Face Wave Of Threats, Pressure Amid Coronavirus Response

By Lauren Weber and Anna Maria Barry-Jester and Michelle R. Smith, The Associated Press June 12, 2020 Emily Brown was stretched thin. As the director…
Jun 09, 2020

Minority Leader Schumer Tackles Pandemic Housing Issues

In a call Monday with the National Low Income Housing Coalition, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer told several thousand people what he was…

Science & Health News

April 28, 2021

Science for Kids and Families

Coyotes are wild animals that are fun to watch, but good to give plenty of space. Critter Cam host Tracey Simmons explains. Other videos explore river otters, black tailed deer, butterflies, and mountain lions. WATCH VIDEOS
December 06, 2020

Coronavirus Is Surging: How Severe Is Your State's Outbreak?

More than 14 million people in the U.S. have had confirmed coronavirus infections and more than 350,000 have died of COVID-19. Tens of thousands of new cases are reported daily nationwide. In these graphics, explore the trends in your state. NPR regularly updates this page with new information…
November 05, 2020

California Protects Homeowners From Having Fire Insurance Dropped — Again

By James Bikales November 5, 2020 As this year’s historic wildfire season winds down, Californians living in fire-prone territory got temporary relief from another threat: they can’t lose their homeowners’ insurance policies for another year. Premiums and nonrenewal rates have skyrocketed in…
October 23, 2020

The ‘Speed of Trust’: California Wants Statewide Panel to Review Any COVID Vaccine

By Ana B. Ibarra October 19, 2020 Coronavirus vaccines approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration in coming months will not be distributed in California until a statewide panel of health experts can ensure they meet safety requirements, Gov. Gavin Newsom announced Monday. While there is no…
October 19, 2020

Register for Rebuilding and Resiliency: How We Need to Handle Wildfires From Now On

By Vanessa Richardson, CalMatters October 8, 2020 California has been hit hard in recent years by wildfires, but the deadliest and most destructive one in its history was the Camp Fire. On the morning of November 8, 2018, a spark turned into a firestorm that barrelled through the town of Paradise,…
October 05, 2020

Unsafe To Drink: Wildfires Threaten Rural Towns With Tainted Water

by Rachel Becker, Cal Matters October 5, 2020 "Homes destroyed by the LNU Lighting Complex Fire are interspersed with untouched homes above Lake Berryessa, a resort area and water supply reservoir, on Sept. 21, 2020. After the fire in August, residents were advised not to drink or boil the tap…
Sep 28, 2020

Glass Fire Photos Show Overnight Firefight and Evacuations

September 28, 2020 Photography by Erik Castro, Photojournalist Erik Castro is a Santa Rosa-based photojournalist who started his career covering…
Sep 18, 2020

Track County COVID-19 Cases, Hospitalizations and Deaths

As COVID-19 continues to spread across the nation, understanding the pandemic’s effect on your local area can be difficult. That’s why four public…
Sep 15, 2020

Trump and Newsom: Political Frenemies Make Nice Amid California’s Mounting Disasters

By Laurel Rosenhall, Cal Matters September 14, 2020 It was looking a little lonely on the tarmac when President Donald Trump arrived in California…
Sep 10, 2020

‘I Was Looking For Someone Like Me’ – Is Peer Counseling The Answer?

By Jocelyn Wiener, Cal Matters September 8, 2020 Keris Jän Myrick keeps a photo on her desk of the woman who helped transform her life. As a Black…
Aug 28, 2020

Monitor Sonoma County Evacuations and Fire Cameras

Use the interactive map below to monitor evacuations in Sonoma County. Click on the red arrows to see the view from Cal Fire cameras. If you have…
Aug 21, 2020

Sonoma Co. Fire Update: Walbridge Now 19% Contained

By NorCal Public Media News Staff Updated: August 28, 2020 at 10:00 a.m. For the latest evacuation information and a live map of the area visit…
Aug 17, 2020

New Evacuations Friday Morning; Sonoma County Officials Consider Local Emergency

By NorCal Public Media News Staff Updated: August 21, 2020 at 1:30 p.m. Sonoma County Walbridge Fire Visit socoemergency.org for a live map of the…
Jul 29, 2020

Exclusive: California County With Highest COVID Death Rate Violated Court Rules For Evictions

BY MATT LEVIN, CALMATTERS JULY 29, 2020 Imperial County, the rural county in southeastern California beset with overrun hospitals and the highest…
Jul 24, 2020

Through The Looking-Glass: Family Members Fight Restricted Access To Loved Ones In Long-Term Care

BY BARBARA FEDER OSTROV AND JOCELYN WIENER, CALMATTERS JULY 23, 2020 Maitely Weismann moved her 77-year-old mother from New York into a Los Angeles…
Jul 21, 2020

Hundreds of Healthcare Workers at Santa Rosa Memorial Hospital Strike Over Safety Concerns and Benefits

Santa Rosa Memorial Hospital Workers are on strike for the week to demand a safer workplace. They say Providence St. Joseph Health, which owns the…
Jul 20, 2020

Feds To Send COVID Tests To Nursing Homes, But Can California Really Use Them?

By Barbara Feder Ostrov, CalMatters July 17, 2020 Six months into the coronavirus pandemic, the federal government this week announced it would send…
Jul 17, 2020

Nearly All California Schools Ordered to Shut Down. Online Classes Mandatory

BY RICARDO CANO, CALMATTERS LEER EN ESPAÑOL Gov. Gavin Newsom announced today that more than 5.5 million California students will not be allowed to…

Coronavirus Resources

May 14, 2021

Help Us Investigate PG&E’s Power Lines

California’s public radio stations are investigating the safety of Pacific Gas & Electric Company’s power lines ahead of wildfire season. We want your help. Email pictures of the lines in your area to fires@kqed.org Pacific Gas and Electric Company has sparked some of the state’s deadliest…
April 22, 2021

Residents react to the Chauvin verdict

Photo of a Black Lives Matter Protest in 2020. (Photo by Adia White)Santa Rosa Jr. College student and activist Caitie Ferro cried when she first heard the news that Derek Chauvin was guilty of murder, and thought the dozens of marches she went to over the past year might have led to change. "All…
April 20, 2020

Tips for Spotting Fake News Stories — And Where to Find Sources You Can Trust

Anytime there’s a significant news event — like a global pandemic, for example — you can expect misinformation to spread across the Internet. “Fake news” means stories that contain fabricated information, or information that’s based on rumor, shoddy methodology or a partisan agenda. With the…
April 17, 2020

Recursos Alimentarios Durante COVID-19

La alimentacion es una gran prioridad para muchos durante esta pandemia de COVID-19- cómo mantener a su familia alimentada en medio de despidos del trabajo, preocupaciones sobre salidas para conseguir comestibles y la posibilidad de transmisión por medio de los alimentos, todo mientras se trata de…
April 14, 2020

COVID-19: Food Resources

Food is top of mind for many during the COVID-19 pandemic — how to keep your family fed amid layoffs, concerns about grocery outings and food transmission, all while trying to maintain social distance. If you’re struggling to put food on the table, have questions about food safety or need help…
April 10, 2020

COVID-19: Recursos Para Indocumentados y Sin Beneficios

English version available here. A medida que la pandemia de coronavirus da vuelta la economía de la nación y deja a muchos sin trabajo, los inmigrantes indocumentados son particularmente vulnerables. En esta página encontrará recursos para ayudar a los miembros de la comunidad indocumentados y que…
Apr 07, 2020

COVID-19: Resources for the Undocumented and Uninsured

As the coronavirus pandemic upends the nation’s economy and leaves many without work, undocumented immigrants are particularly vulnerable. On this…
Apr 03, 2020

COVID-19: Santa Clara County Resources

Santa Clara County’s Public Health Department is providing detailed information about COVID-19 cases, deaths and hospital capacity on several data…
Apr 03, 2020

COVID-19: How to Help

As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to take lives and strain resources, you might be wondering how you can help. Perhaps the most important thing you…
Mar 31, 2020

Santa Rosa Police Department Mourns Loss of Detective

Updated March 31, 2020, 4:00 p.m. The Santa Rosa Police Department reported today that Detective Marylou Armer passed away from complications from…
Mar 30, 2020

COVID-19: Financial Resources for Sonoma County Residents

California and the nation have seen a surge in unemployment claims as the COVID-19 pandemic has forced companies to close their doors, leaving…
Mar 30, 2020

Help the Sonoma County Library Tell the Story of Life During COVID-19

The Sonoma County Library will be documenting life during the coronavirus pandemic with a special collection, and you’re invited to contribute. The…
Mar 29, 2020

California’s Shelter-In-Place Order, Explained

By Byrhonda Lyons, CalMatters As President Donald Trump considers easing national restrictions by Easter, Californians are into their first week of…
Mar 29, 2020

Santa Rosa Outlines COVID-19 Support for Homeless

The city of Santa Rosa says it’s following guidance from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to protect people experiencing…
Mar 28, 2020

Los Angeles Will Mirror New York As Coronavirus Surges, Newsom and Garcetti Warn

By Judy Lin, Ben Christopher and Matt Levin, CalMatters Gov. Gavin Newsom and Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti issued dire warnings Friday that the…
Mar 28, 2020

COVID-19: Sonoma County Resources for Seniors and Vulnerable Populations

On March 17, Sonoma County’s health officer issued an order for all residents to shelter in place to help slow the spread of COVID-19. The order…
Mar 27, 2020

Here’s What Happens to Science When California’s Researchers Shelter in Place

By Rachel Becker, CalMatters As California officials desperately try to slow the spread of the novel coronavirus, Chris Miller is coaxing a sample of…