Dear Residents,

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

The Latest

RPVtv’s “Around the Peninsula” – Helping Seniors through COVID-19

In the latest virtual edition of RPVtv’s "Around the Peninsula" co-hosts Liz Brown Swanson and Maria Serrao highlight resources being provided to seniors living on the Palos Verdes Peninsula during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Special guests include Palos Verdes Peninsula Unified School Board Member Linda Reid and former Rancho Palos Verdes Mayor Ann Shaw, who are leading efforts to provide much-needed services for seniors. Also meet Maria's mom, a "super senior" who is making masks for those in need.

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

Governor Newsom Provides Update on California’s Progress Toward Stage 2 Reopening

As the state continues implementation of the four-stage framework to allow Californians to gradually reopen some lower-risk businesses and public spaces while continuing to preserve public health, Governor Gavin Newsom today announced that based on the state’s progress in meeting metrics tied to indicators, the state can begin to move into Stage 2 of modifying the stay at home order this Friday, May 8, with guidelines released Thursday, May 7. The Governor released a Report Card showing how the state has made progress in fighting COVID-19 in a number of categories such as stabilized hospitalization and ICU numbers and acquiring PPE.

Read the full announcement at: https://www.gov.ca.gov/2020/05/04/governor-newsom-provides-update-on-californias-progress-toward-stage-2-reopening/

Tomorrow is 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.

Alert SouthBay COVID-19 RPV Survey Results

In mid-April, the participating Alert SouthBay cities released a second 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 April 28. The City can use this information to enhance future COVID-19 communications as well as our local response to the crisis.

Survey issued on April 15 - 568 RPV resident responses (as of April 28)

34% of respondents said their single greatest COVID-19 concern is the impact on the economy

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

General anxiety about the impact of the coronavirus on my life - 54%
Social isolation/lack of places to go - 53%
Purchasing supplies (e.g. toilet paper) - 49%

46% of respondents said they are either very worried or extremely worried

Most feel they can maintain their current arrangements for at least one month and up to 3 months

46% of respondents said they can maintain their current arrangements for three or more months
19% respondents said they can maintain current arrangements for two months
17% of respondents said they can maintain current arrangements for about a month

City Communication Preferences

62% of respondents prefer email communication
31% of respondents prefer text messaging communication
5% of respondents prefer social media communication

Census Response Rate Challenge

Have you completed your 2020 Census? Responses to the census shape decisions about how billions of dollars in federal funds flow into communities each year for the next 10 years for critical services, including health care, emergency response, schools and education programs, and roads and bridges. The COVID-19 pandemic underscores the importance of census data and census participation.

As of May 2, Rancho Palos Verdes has a 70.1% self-response rate, 12.6% higher than the state’s average self-response rate and 13.8% higher than the national average. RPV has the second highest response rate of the Peninsula cities behind Palos Verdes Estates.

Help us become the first city in the state to reach a 100% self-response rate! See the response rate for yourself at tabsoft.co/3ajQCPR

Complete your census today by mail, by phone at 844-330-2020 or online at 2020census.gov

Cases

As of May 4, there are 26,217 confirmed cases of COVID-19 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 62 cases in Rancho Palos Verdes, 37 in Palos Verdes Estates, 13 in Rolling Hills Estates and two in Rolling Hills. Countywide, 1,256 people have died.

According to the Department of Public Health, nine deaths have been reported in Rancho Palos Verdes. The City extends its deepest condolences to the families of these residents.

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

For an interactive dashboard with maps and graphs showing testing, cases and death data by community, poverty level, age, sex and race/ethnicity visit: http://dashboard.publichealth.lacounty.gov/covid19_surveillance_dashboard/

An interactive dashboard of COVID-19 cases in the South Bay maintained by the City of Torrance is available at bit.ly/2XB1fv1. The dashboard reflects information sourced by the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health.

Updated Self-Isolation Guidelines

Last week, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention updated its guidance on how long people who are positive for COVID-19 should self-isolate. New evidence suggests it may take longer for the virus to shed, which means that an infected person may be able to infect other people for a longer period of time than was initially thought.

According to the L.A. County Department of Public Health, people who are positive or presumed positive for COVID-19 should now self-isolate for 10 days and 72 hours after fever and symptoms subside. This means you must stay home until your fever has resolved without the use of fever-reducing medications and there is improvement in your respiratory symptoms (e.g., cough, shortness of breath) for at least 3 days (72 hours) after recovery, AND at least 10 days have passed since your symptoms first appeared or you were tested.

If you have been in close contact with a person who has tested positive for COVID-19 or is presumed to be infected with COVID-19, you must quarantine for 14 days from your last contact with that individual. If you begin experiencing symptoms, you must self-isolate for 10 days and 72 hours after fever and symptoms subside. Individuals who are elderly or who have underlying health conditions may be at higher risk of serious illness and should contact their doctor as soon as they are sick.

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.

PVPUSD At-Home Activities

The Palos Verdes Peninsula Unified School District’s PV Kids' Corner and Teen Scene staff has put together a comprehensive list of at-home activities for families during the school closure.

Find a wide range of activities for students and families at https://www.pvpusd.net/activities/

PVPUSD “Return to School” Parent Survey

PVPUSD has convened a committee of teachers, classified staff, administrators, medical professionals and board members to develop a "Return to School" Plan in order to prepare for its campuses to reopen at the appropriate time. Parents and guardians are invited to fill out a survey in order to provide the district with important information as to their level of comfort in returning to school campuses.

Take the survey at https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/return_to_school

Staying Safe in Good Weather

Remember to enjoy the weather responsibly, even as the weather gets better. Maintain physical distancing and wear your face covering when out at essential businesses.

Watch a message from Dr. Barbara Ferrer, Director of the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health, at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TDJGFdvSd2A

L.A. County Disaster Help Center Extended Hours

The L.A. County Business and Worker Disaster Help Center is a centralized call center and website providing free, one-on-one counseling and support for business owners, workers, nonprofits, tenants and landlords who have been adversely affected by the ongoing COVID-19 emergency.

Whether you are a business owner struggling to keep your doors open or a worker who’s uncertain about their next paycheck, L.A. County now has a single location where you can get immediate help, tailored to your situation.

The center has expanded its hours of operation. You can now access its free, one-on-one counseling from:

8:30 am to 5:30 pm (Monday through Friday)
10:00 am to 3:00 pm (Saturdays)

Get assistance in the manner that’s most convenient to you:

Telephone: (833) 238-4450
Online: LACountyHelpCenter.org
Email: DisasterHelpCenter@lacounty.gov
Social media: @LACHelpCenter on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram

Local Volunteer Match

Join PVPUSD School Board Member Linda Reid’s local volunteer match effort during the COVID-19 pandemic. About 40 volunteers have been linked with 100 isolated seniors needing help with grocery shopping and other errands.

If you're a parent, student or graduate of the Palos Verdes Peninsula Unified School District interested in participating in the volunteer match program, or an older resident needing support, contact Member Reid at reidl@pvpusd.net.

Find out more ways to help your community during the COVID-19 crisis by visiting the How You Can Help page on the City’s coronavirus webpage.

Closure Information

For a list of school, library, transit and other local closures, visit the Closure Information page on the City’s coronavirus webpage.

Open for Business

Need a list of Peninsula restaurants that are serving takeout and delivery? Or updated grocery store hours? Check out the Open for Business tab on the City’s coronavirus webpage. If you would like to add your business to this page or provide updated information, please email slee@rpvca.gov.

City Hall Closed

As a reminder, to reduce the risk of community spread of COVID-19, through at least May 15, 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 the 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 physical distancing is the best and most effective tool to slow the spread of the novel coronavirus.