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

Countywide Eviction Moratorium Extended through July 31

Today, the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors extended the countywide moratorium on evictions to July 31.

As a reminder, the moratorium prevents both residential and commercial tenants in Los Angeles County (including those in Rancho Palos Verdes) from being evicted for not paying their rent, for no-fault reasons, and other violations related to the COVID-19 pandemic.

If you have questions about the moratorium, call (833) 223-RENT (7368), email rent@dcba.lacounty.gov, or visit dcba.lacounty.gov/noevictions

Update on L.A. City and County Testing Site Availability

Currently, the registration website for COVID-19 testing at the L.A. City and County supported sites is showing no appointments available. All available appointments this week are full. The lack of availability is primarily due to L.A. City not opening slots for registration at City-operated sites beyond tomorrow, June 24, as they migrate to a new vendor and registration platform; in addition to paring back testing sites and slots.

All L.A. County supported testing sites, which had appointments opened through Friday, June 26, are also full. L.A. County is also experiencing high demand at the state-supported testing sites, which are full for the remainder of the week.

We encourage all individuals to call their primary care provider if they are exhibiting symptoms of COVID-19. If you do not have insurance and need help connecting with a healthcare provider, call 211. Testing capacity within the established health system has improved greatly over the past weeks and months; wherever possible, individuals should receive testing in consultation with their personal provider to ensure ongoing continuity of care and optimal follow-up.

There are some additional testing sites that are run independently from the county or state that still do have same day or next day availability. Individuals can visit covid19.lacounty.gov/testing for a list of sites that have availability and to register.

Later today, more appointments will open for L.A. County supported sites for Saturday, June 27, Sunday, June 28, and Monday, June 29.

On Monday, June 29, L.A. County will open additional testing sites at the DHS Hubert H. Humphrey clinic and at the Wesley Health Centers (also known as JWCH) with 12 new sites.

These will be added to the L.A. County website shortly for registration at covid19.lacounty.gov/testing

Get the Facts on COVID-19 in L.A. County

L.A. County shares the following facts about COVID-19 in order to keep you (and those around you) safe while curbing the spread of the virus:

Fact #1: COVID-19 is spreading.

Yes - the more we test, the more cases identified. But this does NOT mean that the virus isn’t also spreading. 

To understand the spread of COVID-19 in L.A. County — we track the number of new patients requiring hospitalization with COVID-19 every day. This allows us to understand what is going on with spread in the community and not be misled by an increase in cases because of more access to testing.

Fact #2:  The most important metric is the number of new patients requiring hospitalization every day.

L.A. County’s model of COVID-19 focuses on just this: new hospital cases. 

By just focusing on the number of new patients requiring hospitalization with COVID-19 every day, we understand what is going on with spread in the community without being misled by increased testing access.

For example, if we do see growth in the number of new patients requiring hospitalization in the weeks ahead, it will tell us two important things:  

1. transmission is increasing in our communities and we need to take new measures to help reduce the spread of COVID-19; and 

2. we need to support our health system in meeting the needs of an increasing number of our sickest COVID-19 patients while continuing to care for those without COVID-19. 
   

However, if we only look at new cases, we can’t determine if the increase is from increased spread of COVID-19, just increased access to testing, or both.

Safer at Home was implemented across the state and in L.A. County because it was absolutely the fastest way to dramatically decrease the spread of COVID-19. While necessary, Safer at Home is a crude measure, and it is not a sustainable path forward. 

Reopening is just as important for the health of our society as closing. We know that poverty and economic turmoil have a devastating impact on the health of individuals and communities.  

However, the vast majority of those living in Los Angeles are still susceptible to COVID-19, we must follow practices that allow us to get back to work and back to living our lives
safely.

Fact #4: COVID-19 is NOT the flu. 

The differences? 

The risk of dying with COVID-19 is much higher than it is with the flu. During mid-April, the “counted deaths” for COVID-19 in the United States were approximately 15,000 per week. During a typical “peak week” of the flu, the “counted deaths” are approximately 750.

We don’t know much about COVID-19 including patterns, symptoms, and even long term health effects on many who survive.

In fact, the more we learn, the more we realize there are long term health effects on many who survive. The physical burden of this disease is staggering and will be prolonged.

Fact #5: Masks, and other basic public health practices, make a big difference in stopping the spread. 

We know that: 

• COVID-19 is spread through respiratory droplets from coughing or even talking. 

• Simple cloth face coverings that cover your nose and mouth AND keeping your distance from others, prevent the spread of droplets.

  • In addition to wearing a face covering and keeping your distance, handwashing frequently, avoiding touching your face, staying home when you are sick, and cleaning surfaces actually work!
    

Hospital Demand Model Update

This update is brought to you by Dr. Christina Ghaly, the Director of L.A. County's Department of Health Services (DHS). She shares:

1. The number of new cases of COVID-19 requiring care in our hospitals each day remains constant.
2. In terms of the hospital system, L.A. County's COVID-19 DHS Hospital Demand Model currently projects:
   • Hospital Beds and Ventilator numbers appear adequate to meet the projected need for the care of additional COVID-19 patients over the next four weeks.
   • The number of ICU Beds is more limited, in part, due to the need to care for a greater number of non-COVID patients (as people receive critical non-COVID services). This supply may become inadequate if L.A. County's rate of transmission increases.
3. This week's Rate of Transmission (R) is slightly under 1 - specifically, the county’s model is now calculating it as 0.94, with a range of uncertainty from 0.83 to 1.03.
   • The R being reported, as of today, specifically includes an adjustment down for those who are presumed to already be immune due to prior infection.
   • L.A. County has made the change so that its model output is consistent (and directly comparable), with how other communities and models report R.

To learn more about the data included in Dr. Ghaly's update, visit dhs.lacounty.gov. Once there, you'll find: 1) Regularly updated COVID-19 Hospital Demand Model Projections; 2) A COVID-19 Dashboard, which contains information on L.A. County's available hospital beds, supplies, hospitalized patients and COVID-19 demographics; and 3) The COVID-19 Patient Webpage, where you can access the COVID-19 Nurse Advice Line, schedule appointments or get help with making appointments, ordering medication, locating the nearest Urgent Care location, and more.

COVID-19 is Spread through Droplets

COVID-19 can spread up to 26 feet through droplets! Even if you are not showing symptoms, you could be unknowingly spreading the virus. Wear a face covering and maintain distance to significantly slow the spread and keep your community healthy.

Cases

As of June 23, there are 88,262 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 124 cases in Rancho Palos Verdes, 48 in Palos Verdes Estates, 21 in Rolling Hills Estates and two in Rolling Hills. Countywide, 3,171 people have died.

According to the Department of Public Health, 12 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.

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/