Dr. Sara Cody, who led Santa Clara County through COVID-19 pandemic, set to retire
Dr. Sara Cody, Santa Clara County's public health director and health officer who led the county's COVID-19 pandemic response, has announced her retirement.
Cody, who has served as health officer since 2013 and has led the Public Health Department since 2015, will depart from her roles with the county in April. Deputy Health Officer Dr. Sara Rudman will serve as acting health officer and director.
"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. "Now is the right time to pass the baton to the next set of public health leaders."
Cody announced her retirement Tuesday, exactly five years to the day the World Health Organization declared the COVID-19 outbreak a pandemic.
The health official will perhaps be best known for her response to the COVID-19 pandemic. After the county experienced some of the nation's first deaths from the novel coronavirus, Cody issued orders banning large gatherings and issued the first stay-at-home order in the nation in an attempt to slow the spread of the virus. She had also worked collaboratively with neighboring jurisdictions.
In their statement, county officials credited the moves with helping the Bay Area achieve one of the lowest death rates during the pandemic. Officials said when the COVID-19 crisis reached 1 million deaths nationally, the death rate in the Bay Area was lower than all but two U.S. states.
Santa Clara County also became the second most-vaccinated large county in the country, officials said.
"Her proactive leadership during the COVID-19 pandemic saved many lives. Her focus on health equity and outcomes has made our Public Health Department more responsive to community need," said county executive James Williams. "As a nationally recognized expert, she leaves a legacy of excellence in public service and has set a new standard for what public health leadership looks like in our country."
The moves were not without controversy, with Cody's health orders being the target of lawsuits, including from a church in San Jose that racked up fines for holding large services at a time when the county required masks and limited capacity in buildings.
Cody had also been subjected to threats and demonstrations at her home.
A native of Santa Clara County, Cody graduated from Stanford University and the Yale School of Medicine. She joined the Public Health Department in 1998 and was also part of the county's response to SARS, H1N1 influenza and emerging infectious diseases.
Another figure in the region's COVID-19 response, Dr. Grant Colfax, resigned from his role as San Francisco Public Health Director in January.
