Face Coverings, Social Distancing Continue In Riverside County

RIVERSIDE COUNTY, CA — For more than eight hours Tuesday, Riverside County took up the issue of whether to rescind several local public health orders that have been issued in response to coronavirus.

Upon hearing public comments from more than 100 speakers and then bringing the issue to the dais, the Riverside County Board of Supervisors voted unanimously to continue the discussion to 1 p.m. Friday.

Tuesday's lengthy discussion item stemmed from a proposal to roll back requirements on social distancing, use of face coverings, ongoing limitations on golfing, keeping schools shuttered and barring short-term rentals, except in cases of providing emergency shelter for vulnerable people.

Board Chairman V. Manuel Perez and Supervisor Karen Spiegel introduced the proposal last week. On Monday, however, Gov. Gavin Newsom announced that later this week he will unveil details on a "Phase 2" reopening of the state's economy that may begin as early as Friday. "Nonessential" retail and manufacturing are among the sectors expected to reopen but with yet-to-be announced restrictions.

Rather than rescind the current county public health orders, the supervisors decided to delay the vote in an effort to align with the state's Phase 2 reopening.

During Friday's meeting, the supervisors will also address the current internal structure of how county public health orders are issued. Supervisor Kevin Jeffries brought the concern forward, saying the board needed to be involved on an advisory level.

Previously, Jeffries told his colleagues and the audience it was "dangerous" for elected officials to venture into healthcare, but said it was just as dangerous for doctors to make decisions that impact the economy.

"We have to deal with this whether we like it or not," Jeffries told his colleagues. "We need to try and be the referee."

The decision to continue discussion came against the backdrop of new numbers showing there were 100 new COVID-19 cases and three more deaths reported in the county. As of Tuesday afternoon, there were 4,454 confirmed cases of the virus, and 184 people have died due to COVID-19 complications. The doubling rate of new cases stands at 18 days, according to county public health director Kim Saruwatari.

Tuesday's arduous board deliberations began at 9:30 a.m. at the Riverside County Administrative Center in downtown Riverside and kicked off with public comments. The discussion on possibly rescinding the orders was not scheduled to begin until later in the day, but protocol was ditched upon approval from the county attorney.

The majority of public speakers were in favor of rescinding orders, however many veered from the agenda item and pushed the county to reopen businesses.

"This is medical tyranny," Riverside-area salon owner Adrian Bermudez told the board. "You sit up here in your ivory tower and make decisions. But who's going to pay your salary if there's no tax base because businesses are going out of business?"

Regional radio personality and Corona resident Don Dix told the supervisors to look to Sweden — a nation that imposed only a scant number of limitations as COVID-19 spread worldwide — as a template for the appropriate response to the virus.

"Sweden remained open, and their number of deaths has rounded off," Dix said. "Why cripple our economy? This is not about profits; it's about livelihoods and survival. Allow people to be in a position to take care of themselves."

Several educators, nurses, transit officials, and Eastern Riverside County residents urged the board to keep the orders in place. Many pointed to the success of tamping down COVID-19 infections as evidence that Riverside County public health orders have prevented a case surge.

A Murrieta resident who spoke against rescinding the orders said that arguments about Constitutional rights being infringed upon are false, offering that citizens don't have the right to jeopardize the health of others.

Irma Flores, an entrepreneur, empathized with those who want to reopen immediately but asked, "How much is a human life worth? Priceless, when you think about it."

Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco told the supervisors his deputies are not enforcing the orders, which he called an "elimination of Constitutional freedoms." Two of Bianco's deputies have died from complications due to the virus, and many more have been infected but have recovered.

"Everyone doesn't have to be afraid of this virus," he said.

Seventy-three percent of Riverside County's COVID-19 deaths have been in patients 65 years of age or older, Saruwatari said Tuesday. Twenty-four percent have been patients ages 40-64, and just three percent have been people ages 18-39. There are no pediatric deaths reported in the county. Of the deaths occurring in county residents under 65 years old, 16 percent had no known underlying health conditions, Saruwatari said.

Watch Tuesday's meeting — and tune into Friday's meeting here.

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