Dear Residents,

The City of Rancho Palos Verdes continues to monitor the spread of novel coronavirus (COVID-19) in Los Angeles County and would like to share the following updates with the community:

The Latest

New Public Health Officer Orders

Yesterday, county officials announced new Public Health Officer Orders requiring people who have tested positive for COVID-19 or who are presumed to be positive to self-isolate for a period of 7 days and 3 days of being symptom-free; and requiring all close contacts of these individuals to self-quarantine for 14 days since their last exposure.

Home isolation instructions for people with COVID-19 are available at: http://publichealth.lacounty.gov/acd/docs/HomeisolationenCoV.pdf

Home quarantine guidelines for close contacts to COVID-19 patients are available at: http://publichealth.lacounty.gov/acd/docs/COVHomeQuarantine.pdf

Read the orders at the links below:

March 25, 2020 Public Health Emergency Isolation Order (PDF)
March 25, 2020 Public Health Emergency Quarantine Order (PDF)

What’s the difference between isolation and quarantine?

Isolation and quarantine help protect the public by preventing exposure to people who have or may have a contagious disease.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention:

• Isolation separates sick people with a contagious disease from people who are not sick.
• Quarantine separates and restricts the movement of people who were exposed to a contagious disease to see if they become sick.

Cases
 
As of March 26, there are 1,216 known cases of novel coronavirus across Los Angeles County, including the South Bay, so the public should not think one location is safer than another and everyone should be aware and practice social distancing, also known as physical distancing. Twenty-one people have died.

For a list of cases broken down by city and age group, visit: http://publichealth.lacounty.gov/media/Coronavirus/locations.htm

Cases in the other three Peninsula cities are being included in the total for Lomita. Today’s total therefore includes 6 cases in Rancho Palos Verdes and 12 cases in Lomita/elsewhere on the Palos Verdes Peninsula.

It’s important to note that the total number of confirmed cases that the Department of Public Health shares every day reflects a moment in time and may not include cases confirmed by commercial labs that have not yet been shared with the Department of Public Health. A commercial lab may share a positive result with a physician before the health department.

An Open Letter from Lomita Station Regarding the "Safer at Home" Order

Lomita Station family, we need you to read this. We need you to share this. We need you to let your family and friends know. Settle in. It's a long message.

The city parks and city trails are closed across the peninsula. There is currently no public access to many of the places you're used to frequenting. We are all supposed to be at home *or* traveling to obtain necessary services like food, medicine, etc. The "Safer at Home" order also allows for outdoor activities such as "hiking, walking, or biking" provided that those activities are done as individuals, or as families, and as long as they can be done while maintaining social distancing with other people.

With the above in mind, you do not need to, nor should you, drive 10, 15, 20, 45 minutes away from home in order to go for a walk. You should not be going to an area that is known for hiking, that other people will be going to, in order to become a potential vector for disease. If everyone decides to congregate at a trail or park, that defeats the purpose of limiting contact!

To this point, we have issued zero citations within our patrol area for violation of this order. We would MUCH rather everyone do their part and adhere to the order voluntarily. The order has a direct impact on the health and safety of all of our loved ones, and our neighbors, so everyone should *want* to do their part to limit the spread of the disease.

Now, here's the part where we have to get real with you. The fact that we haven't issued citations for violations of the "Safer at Home" order doesn't mean that we can't. It means that we PREFER not to. If you decide that you need to drive 45 minutes away from home, and drive around barricades strewn across an entire roadway to get to your preferred hiking spot because you are more important than anyone else, then you're getting a ticket for driving around the barricades. If you decide that you want to pick up a couple of friends and drive around aimlessly at 70 mph on Hawthorne Boulevard because the responsible people are at home, staying off the roads unless absolutely necessary, then you're getting a ticket for speeding. It seems like some people have decided that the current state of affairs means the rules don't apply to them, and it is truly disheartening.

The "Safer at Home" order is tough. It's tough because, for one brief period of time in our lives, we're all being told that we're grounded and have to stay home, and can't go outside to play with our friends. And it truly is WE. The people that work at the station are YOU. We are members of the community. We have to stay home when we're not at work. We have families. We have kids that are driving us nuts from being stuck inside for what feels like FOREVER. We GET IT. But this is truly one of those greater good things where we all have to take stock of ourselves and ask ourselves if it's really that impossible for us to put the good of others over ourselves for a few weeks.

We're asking, begging, and pleading with everyone to adhere to these orders by voluntarily doing the right thing today, tomorrow, this weekend, and until the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health issues new orders. The sooner we, as a society, decide to stop being selfish and stubborn, the sooner we can get past this virus, and the easier those of us that are at risk for complications can rest in the mean time.

So please, if you've got to travel to go to work because your place of employment is still operating, or you need to acquire food, medicines, or everyday essentials, please do. If you need to take care of others that are unable to care for themselves, or shop for themselves, please do. But if you just *want* to get out of the house because you're going stir crazy, then take a walk around your neighborhood. Don't congregate at local parks or trails (again, they're closed). Don't visit your friend's house just because you're bored. You're unnecessarily exposing them, their families, or yourself or your family when you don't need to, and potentially prolonging the length of this crisis.

Thanks everyone! Let's get through this together.

Have you signed up for emergency alerts from Alert SouthBay?

Have you signed up for emergency alerts from Alert SouthBay? Alert SouthBay is a new, opt-in regional emergency notification system used by RPV and 12 other South Bay cities. The system uses the Everbridge software platform to send alerts by text message, cellular and landline phones.

Sign up by:

• Texting “alertsb” to 888-777, which returns a link to register for Everbridge (for COVID-19-related alerts, text the keyword "cv19rpv")
• Registering online at alertsouthbay.com
• Downloading the free Everbridge app on an iOS or Android device from the App Store or Google Play. Select “Find an organization or subscription” and search “alertsb”

?For more information about the Alert SouthBay system, visit ?alertsouthbay.com

Parks and Nature Preserve Closed

As a reminder, out of an abundance of caution and in accordance with guidance from state and local health officials to slow the spread of COVID-19, the City of Rancho Palos Verdes has closed the Palos Verdes Nature Preserve, all City parks, beaches, community centers, amenities and trails until further notice.

All park buildings, playgrounds, parking lots, restrooms, game courts, and fields are closed. All park programming has been canceled until further notice. This includes all recreational activities, indoor and outdoor sports leagues, instructional courses, and group sessions/private events.

The closures are in accordance with a local emergency proclamation adopted by the City Council last week and come after City Staff and Park Rangers observed a high volume of visitors to City parks and the Palos Verdes Nature Preserve despite the “Safer at Home” Public Health Officer Order calling for social distancing.

For a full list of closures, read a press release at: bit.ly/2UexWwo

The Great Peninsula Takeout

Building on the importance of supporting local business, the Palos Verdes Peninsula Chamber of Commerce in partnership with all four Peninsula cities – Rancho Palos Verdes, Rolling Hills Estates, Palos Verdes Estates and Rolling Hills - announces “The Great Peninsula Takeout.” The community is encouraged to actively show support for local restaurants by ordering takeout or delivery throughout this period of restricted commerce.

Restaurants are struggling to weather the financial impact of lost dine-in sales.  Supporting our restaurants through takeout orders right now may be the difference between restaurants being able to stay in business going forward or closing permanently. In support of local restaurants, the Chamber and the Peninsula cities are promoting “Takeout Tuesdays AND Takeout Thursdays.” 

The community is encouraged to join in the “Takeout Tuesdays and Takeout Thursdays” initiative by posting on social media and inviting friends and neighbors to order takeout, using Tuesdays and Thursdays as a special reminder.

Residents are asked to show their support by ordering takeout or delivery, not only on Tuesdays and Thursdays, but on a regular basis throughout the coronavirus restrictions. Check the web, the Open for Business page on the City's website, or social media for current listings. The Peninsula community is asked to act together to support each other in new ways amid the coronavirus outbreak. The “Takeout Tuesdays and Takeout Thursdays” program is a concrete step in that direction.

Please Buy Smart and Don’t Overfill Your Cart

A Message from the California Grocers Association:

In these uncertain times, Californians can be assured that grocery stores will remain open and that food and essential supplies remain plentiful. The bare shelves you are occasionally seeing do not indicate lack of supply. It is a temporary result of consumers overbuying given the understandable worry right now. The supply and distribution systems are prepared to accommodate this behavior for a day or two during holidays, but not for extended periods of time.

The men and women at grocery stores and distribution centers throughout the state are working day and night to catch up with demand. Hiring is increasing for both stores and distribution centers to ensure product moves as quickly as possible to store shelves.

We are all looking for some normalcy in our lives and going back to our typical shopping patterns are an important part of that. Everyone can help stop this unnatural cycle of demand by simply buying only what you need for a week and curbing the tendency to over-buy. Getting shopping patterns back to normal will reduce stress on the distribution system and can go a long way toward creating some normalcy in our grocery stores.

Californians can rest assured there is enough for all of us if we just buy smart and don’t overfill our carts.

Closure Information

Open for Business

Watch the latest episode of RPVtv’s “Around the Peninsula” featuring an interview with PVP Chamber of Commerce President and CEO Eileen Hupp to find out how you can support local businesses during the coronavirus outbreak: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=etJcYqikC9o  

How You Can Help

Los Angeles County officials encourage members of the public who want to help those in the community experiencing hardships to make monetary contributions to reputable non-profit organizations or to the funds listed below, which are supporting COVID-19 disaster efforts. 

Support the California Community Foundation’s Covid-19 LA County Response Fund

The California Community Foundation launched the COVID-19 LA County Response Fund, which supports community needs identified by our partners in health, housing, education and immigration.

Support the United Way’s Pandemic Relief Fund

United Way of Greater Los Angeles’ Pandemic Relief Fund supports L.A. County’s unsheltered residents who are especially vulnerable to the coronavirus, and low-income individuals, students and families at imminent risk of homelessness and hardships due to health and economic impacts of coronavirus.

Support other nonprofits

Philanthropy California’s disaster resilience team is coordinating with state agencies and partners to respond to the impacts of COVID-19/Coronavirus. You can search for Los Angeles County non-profits through this site. 

American Red Cross

Give a financial gift or lifesaving blood.

Personal Protective Equipment Needed

Want to help our nurses, doctors and health care workers? If you want to donate/know of businesses that may be able to help with personal protective equipment, such as surgical masks, N95 face masks, face shields and other supplies, email medsupply@dhs.lacounty.gov

Local Volunteer Match

PVPUSD School Board Member Linda Reid is coordinating a volunteer effort to match up senior citizens needing errand/grocery/meal help in PV with volunteers. PVPUSD students, parents, and alums unexpectedly home from college will assist! Any older residents may email Member Reid at reidl@pvpusd.net to be matched up with a local volunteer during this difficult isolating time. 
 
Neighborhood Watch

For 28 years, residents and Block Captains have worked together through RPV Neighborhood Watch to build safe and cohesive neighborhoods. Working cooperatively between neighbors and law enforcement has resulted in supportive neighbors who help each other when necessary. Those residents or blocks who are not yet a part of Neighborhood Watch can contact Gail Lorenzen at rpvnw@ix.netcom.com.

Senior Support

Please consider checking on your older neighbors or those with underlying health conditions. There are ways to let people know you care while keeping a safe distance (e.g., a phone call, a text, a note under their door to make sure they have everything they need). Self-isolation doesn’t need to mean loneliness. Lomita Sheriff’s Station deputies are available to provide a “welfare check” for seniors. Residents are encouraged to call the station’s non-emergency number at 310-539-1661 if they are aware of seniors who are at risk or may need attention. We are all in this together.

City Hall Closed

As a reminder, to reduce the risk of community spread of COVID-19, through at least April 19, City Hall and park buildings are closed to the public, and all recreational activities, classes and events at City facilities have been canceled. Advisory board meetings have been canceled through the end of March. The City will primarily be providing essential city services that are necessary to protect the health, safety, and welfare of our community and City employees. To facilitate these measures, all non-essential staff will be working remotely. Inquiries will be reviewed daily and will be responded to on a case-by-case basis. Please note that our response to your inquiry could be delayed.

Community Development Department applications and permit requests may be submitted to planning@rpvca.gov. 

Non-emergency service requests may be submitted at http://www.rpvca.gov/FormCenter/NonEmergency-Customer-Service-Requests-3/NonEmergency-Customer-Service-Requests-43. 

Public Works service requests may be submitted at https://survey123.arcgis.com/share/6d13530e7ca84edbb5c4e022bdc54da8. 
 
Please visit the appropriate department page on the City website for a list of phone numbers and email addresses to accommodate your needs:
 
City Manager
City Clerk
Community Development
Finance
Human Resources
Public Works
Recreation, Parks & Open Space
RPVtv
 
Overall Staff Directory

Resources

Always check with trusted sources for the latest accurate information about novel coronavirus.

Los Angeles County Department of Public Health: publichealth.lacounty.gov/media/Coronavirus
California Department of Public Health: cdph.ca.gov/covid19 
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC): cdc.gov/COVID19
World Health Organization: who.int/coronavirus
California Governor’s Office: covid19.ca.gov
County of Los Angeles: lacounty.gov/covid19
L.A. County residents can also call 2-1-1
 
Sign up for “Notify Me” city listervs at rpvca.gov/notify
Be sure to also follow the City on Nextdoor, Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. 
 
Sign up for emergency alerts from Alert SouthBay by:

• Texting “alertsb” to 888-777, which returns a link to register for Everbridge (for COVID-19-related alerts, text the keyword "cv19rpv")
• Registering online at alertsouthbay.com
• Downloading the free Everbridge app on an iOS or Android device from the App Store or Google Play. Select “Find an organization or subscription” and search “alertsb”

Sign up for emergency alerts from Alert LA County at https://lacounty.gov/emergency/alert-la/ 

The City Council is committed to keeping you informed on this ever-changing situation, and thanks you for your cooperation and support. The City reminds all residents that closures and cancellations announced by the City and other agencies and institutions are being implemented because public health officials advise that social distancing is the best and most effective tool to slow the spread of coronavirus.