A higher minimum wage for health care workers takes effect in two weeks, but Gov. Gavin Newsom wants to delay it because of the state budget deficit.

The countywide benefit was created in response to a 2022 proposal calling for the formation of a program to support employees at the Santa Clara Valley Medical Center who had been on the frontlines of the Covid pandemic.

The new order is made in light of the emergence in Santa Clara County of the Omicron variant of SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19 and the 'imminent threat' that it poses to the health of vulnerable residents and the capacity of the healthcare system.

The California Department of Public Health also mandated that all people visiting a health care setting must confirm their vaccination status or have tested negative for COVID-19 within 72 hours prior to their indoor visit.