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

Drive-Up Mobile COVID-19 Testing Update

Today, officials announced that any L.A. County resident showing symptoms can now get a COVID-19 test at a drive-up mobile testing site, but priority will be given to those in high-risk categories (people age 65+, and/or those with underlying conditions)

Locally, there is a drive-up testing site at the South Bay Galleria (1815 Hawthorne Blvd., Redondo Beach, CA 90278)

? For a full list of locations and answers to questions about testing, go to covid19.lacounty.gov/testing.
? To find out if you're eligible and to make an appointment, visit lacovidprod.service-now.com/rrs

Palos Verdes Medical Group is now offering drive-thru COVID-19 testing for Peninsula residents.
 
If you are experiencing symptoms of COVID-19 such as fever, cough, or shortness of breath, or may have been exposed, please call PVMG at 310-544-6858. You will be scheduled for a Telehealth visit with one of the providers. If testing is recommended, patients will be offered COVID-19 testing at new drive-thru site on the fourth (top) floor of the Promenade on the Peninsula mall.
 
Testing is by appointment only and open to both PVMG patients and community members. Call PVMG at 310-544-6858 for any questions or to schedule a Telehealth visit.

Cases

 
As of April 7, there are 6,910 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 physical distancing. The total includes 34 cases in Rancho Palos Verdes, 28 in Palos Verdes Estates and eight in Rolling Hills Estates. Countywide, 169 people have died.

To date, the City is aware of the death of one resident who contracted the novel coronavirus. We extend our deepest condolences to the resident’s family and ask for their privacy to be respected during this difficult time.

Belmont Village on Crestridge Road is included on the county’s list of long-term care facilities with at least one resident who developed symptoms while in the facility and tested positive for COVID-19.

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

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.

Alert SouthBay COVID-19 RPV Survey Results

Last week, the participating Alert SouthBay cities released a survey asking residents about their COVID-19 concerns and what kind of information they need and care about most. Below is a summary of highlights based on responses received by RPV residents as of today, April 7. The City can use this information to enhance future COVID-19 communications as well as our local response to the crisis.

Data trends are consistent throughout the South Bay: 6,509 responses

768 RPV Resident Responses

Top 3 Challenges: general anxiety, purchasing supplies/supermarket travels, and social isolation.

• General anxiety about the impact of the coronavirus on my life - 62%
• Purchasing supplies (e.g. toilet paper)  - 56%
• Traveling to the supermarket - 40%
• Social isolation/lack of places to go - 44%

• 86% of respondents said they can maintain current arrangements for a month
  
• 67% of respondents said they can maintain current arrangements for two months
• 44% of respondents said they can maintain current arrangements for three or more months
  

• 38% of respondents appreciate daily communication; 29% would like communication a few times a week
• 60% of respondents prefer email communication

Free Meals for Older Adults Impacted by COVID-19

The County of Los Angeles is providing free meals to older adults age 60 and older who are impacted by the COVID-19 crisis. Call 1-800-510-2020 to request services.

Meals are provided either at distribution sites or via home delivery. The county is transitioning to home-delivered meals at most locations. The map at the following link has information about each site: bit.ly/34k9b56

Older adults 65 and older must send a family member, friend or caregiver who is under the age of 65 to pick up meals at their assigned site. For more information, visit wdacs.lacounty.gov/covid-19

It’s World Health Day!

On World Health Day, we celebrate all health care workers who are battling the COVID-19 pandemic on the front lines. Let’s thank them and take care of our health by staying at home.

It’s Takeout Tuesday!

The community is encouraged to join in the “Takeout Tuesdays and Takeout Thursdays” initiative launched by the Peninsula cities and the PVP Chamber of Commerce 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 Open for Business page on the City website for a list of local restaurants offering takeout, delivery and curbside pickup.

Clap Because We Care

The Palos Verdes Peninsula has joined communities across the country in an ongoing show of support for frontline workers responding to the COVID-19 pandemic. Every night at 7 p.m., step outside to celebrate these workers and say “thank you” with a clap and a cheer.

RPVtv’s "City Talk" Goes Virtual

In the latest edition of RPVtv’s “City Talk” host Liz Brown Swanson has a virtual conversation with Mayor John Cruikshank and City Manager Ara Mihranian about the City’s response to the coronavirus outbreak.

The episode will air daily on Cox 33/Frontier FiOS 38 and can be viewed on RPVtv's YouTube channel at youtu.be/-axmlYPKahI

Guidance for Cloth Face Coverings

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is now recommending the public wear cloth face coverings in public settings where other social distancing measures are difficult to maintain (e.g., grocery stores and pharmacies), especially in areas of significant community-based transmission.

CDC also advises the use of simple cloth face coverings to slow the spread of the virus and help people who may have the virus and do not know it from transmitting it to others.  Cloth face coverings fashioned from household items or made at home from common materials at low cost can be used as an additional, voluntary public health measure.

Cloth face coverings should not be placed on young children under age 2, anyone who has trouble breathing, or is unconscious, incapacitated or otherwise unable to remove the mask without assistance.

The cloth face coverings recommended are not surgical masks or N-95 respirators.  Those are critical supplies that must continue to be reserved for healthcare workers and other medical first responders, as recommended by current CDC guidance.

For more information and frequently asked questions, visit: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/prevent-getting-sick/diy-cloth-face-coverings.html

For the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health’s guidance on cloth face coverings, visit: http://publichealth.lacounty.gov/media/Coronavirus/GuidanceClothFaceCoverings.pdf 

Remember, our best community and individual defense against COVID-19 is washing our hands frequently, avoiding touching our eyes, nose, and mouth with unwashed hands, avoiding being around sick people and practicing physical distancing, especially by staying at home. Face coverings are not a replacement for these other evidence-based measures; they are just an additional tool that may be used to protect us from exposure to COVID-19 when used properly.

Please Remember: Toilets Are Not Trash Cans

The Sanitation Districts of Los Angeles County and the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California remind the public that during times like this when toilet paper is in short supply and there are many creative solutions out there, toilets are not trash cans. Only the 3 p’s — pee, poo, and (toilet) paper — belong in the toilet. Flushable wipes, paper towels, baby wipes, and facial tissue go in the trash! Let’s all do our part to keep our sewers and septic tanks from clogging and resulting in other unintended health conditions.

Virtual Meetings

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, all Rancho Palos Verdes City Council, commission and committee meetings are going virtual.

City Council and Planning Commission meetings will be conducted at their normal times using the Zoom video conference platform. These meetings will also be live-streamed on the City website at rpvca.gov and televised on RPVtv Cox 33/Frontier FiOS 38. Visit rpvca.gov/participate for information on how to participate in public comment.

Civic Center Advisory Committee, Emergency Preparedness Committee, Finance Advisory Committee, Infrastructure Management Advisory (IMAC) Committee, Traffic Safety Committee meetings will be conducted at their normal times using the Zoom video conference platform. To watch and/or participate in public comment, complete a form at rpvca.gov/participate to receive an email with further instructions.

All City Council, commission and committee meeting agendas are available at http://rpvca.gov/772/City-Meeting-Video-and-Agendas

If you require a disability-related modification or accommodation to participate in a meeting, please contact the City at least 48 hours prior to the meeting via email at adarequests@rpvca.gov

Reminder: Parks, Beaches and Nature Preserve CLOSED

County Beaches and Hiking Trails CLOSED

Other Closures

Open for Business

How You Can Help

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

To find out how you can support local hospitals, visit the How You Can Help page on the City’s coronavirus webpage.

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.

California Health Corps

Health care professionals with an active license, public health professionals, medical retirees, medical and nursing students, or members of medical disaster response teams in California are all encouraged to join the new California Health Corps.
Interested medical and health care professionals are encouraged to visit healthcorps.ca.gov for more information and to register for the California Health Corps.

Medical doctors, nurses, respiratory therapists, behavioral health scientists, pharmacists, EMTs, medical and administrative assistants, as well as certified nursing assistants are encouraged to step up and meet this moment to help California respond to the outbreak.

Make a Donation

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 relief funds supporting COVID-19 disaster efforts. Find a list of organizations and relief funds on the How You Can Help page on the City’s coronavirus webpage.

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. 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
FEMA Coronavirus Rumor Control: https://www.fema.gov/Coronavirus-Rumor-Control
 
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.