|
Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...
|
Santa Clara County’s Public Health Director and Health Officer Dr. Sara Cody is set to retire in April after nearly 27 years of service.
Cody became a national figure after issuing the first stay-at-home order in the nation in Santa Clara County at the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic in March 2020, an order she said was the hardest decision she’s ever made, this publication reported. She had created an incident command center to follow the outbreak of the virus in January 2020, a move that proved prescient, and later developed a contact tracing program to contain the virus.
These early moves helped maintain some of the lowest death rates in the nation during the pandemic, and Santa Clara County became the second-most vaccinated among large counties in the nation, according to a press statement from the county.
“Dr. Cody is an exceptional public servant who has served our County with distinction and a deep commitment to our community,” County Executive James Williams said in the statement. “Her proactive leadership during the COVID-19 pandemic saved many lives.”
An epidemiologist by training, Cody attended Stanford for her undergraduate degree and Yale for medical school. After completing her medical internship and residency in internal medicine at Stanford Hospital, she served as a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention disease detective before joining the County’s Public Health department in 1998.
“Serving the community in this role has been an extraordinary privilege, and I am grateful for the support and guidance I’ve received along the way, from community members, staff, and County leaders,” Cody said in the statement. “Now is the right time to pass the baton to the next set of public health leaders.”
County officials praised Cody’s work in restructuring the Public Health department to emphasize racial and health equity and bolster its ability to handle infectious disease outbreaks. She also established a dedicated Science Branch, with a goal of ensuring that public health initiatives are grounded in research and rigorous evaluation, according to the statement.
In addition, her department created public health data dashboard and other digital tools in an effort to increase transparency.
“In working with Dr. Sara Cody over the years, I have been inspired by her bold leadership, willingness to make difficult decisions, and an unwavering commitment to serving the County’s most vulnerable populations,” said Camille Llanes-Fontanilla, a community leader in the statement. “Her approach has saved countless lives and has strengthened a community approach to public health.”
Cody received numerous awards for her contributions in combating COVID-19. She was awarded Certificates of Recognition from both the United States Congress and California State legislature and the Milton and Ruth Romer prize in 2020 from the American Public Health Association. In 2022, she was honored with the Tall Tree Global Impact Award, only the third year the award has been given in 42 years.
Cody’s last day with the County will be April 11. Deputy Health Officer Dr. Sarah Rudman will serve as acting health officer and public health director.
“These early moves helped maintain some of the lowest death rates in the nation during the pandemic”
But SCC had the highest death and infection rates per capita in the bay area!! Other counties in the bay area quickly moved away from her extreme measures and look at the results
ushered in draconian measures that damaged families and ruined businesses. Ignored the public that she is supposed to serve to this day.
bye bye
Thanks to Dr. Cody for a lifetime of public service. Much appreciation for your actions before and during the pandemic.