California Department of Public Health

Monkeypox tests and vaccines are in short supply as public health officials grapple with red tape and short supplies. Yet some of the processes put in place in response to COVID-19 have helped.

For families receiving government assistance, the types of infant formula they are allowed to purchase is limited. When the shortage began, California couldn’t quickly expand its list of approved formula brands due to federal restrictions, leaving low-income families scrambling to find formula.

Hospitals, public health agencies and other providers have no systematic way to share patient data among themselves, limiting their ability to monitor trends and work efficiently. Under the state’s new data-sharing requirement, a doctor or case worker could get immediate access to a patient’s full medical history, and patients could view their own records easily.

Health officials are working to confirm California's first suspected case of monkeypox. Experts say it is not the next COVID-19.

CalMatters is dedicated to explaining how state government impacts our lives. Your support helps us produce journalism that makes a difference. Donate now. Piece by piece, Gov. Gavin Newsom’s administration and state lawmakers are pulling down pillars of California’s emergency COVID response — even as the test positivity rate begins to tick back up. The latest cornerstone […]

A single state contract with Kaiser Permanente to provide Medi-Cal services in counties where it operates will further the state’s goals of making quality health care more accessible and affordable.

California's statewide mask mandate is set to expire on Feb. 15, and state health officials may not extend it in an endemic COVID strategy.

Gov. Gavin Newsom proposed spending $50 million on youth opioids education in his latest budget, funding that comes as colleges are grappling with how to best protect students and train them in overdose prevention. The proposal, though subject to negotiation, is a sign of increased concern amid rising opioid overdoses nationwide.

State health officials extend indoor mask mandate through Feb. 15, but say the size of California COVID hospitalization increase is unclear.

An investigation shows little government oversight of hospitals in California and other states where patients are infected with COVID.