City Of Hermosa Beach Coronavirus Update For July 23, 2020

Press release from the City of Hermosa Beach:

July 23, 2020

To help keep the community informed, the City of Hermosa Beach is providing regular updates featuring the latest news about COVID-19; related local updates; and how the City is working to meet the needs of the community and protect public health.

Local Updates

Community Reminder -- Face Coverings Required in Most Public Spaces: A reminder that the State of California’s face mask guidance and L.A. County Public Health protocols require the wearing of face coverings in public spaces where crowds or groups of people make it difficult to keep a distance of 6 feet from non-household members to help prevent the spread of COVID-19. Public health experts say wearing a face mask properly, so that it covers the nose and mouth, helps prevent the spread of infectious droplets when talking, coughing and sneezing.

The State and County face mask requirements apply to many of Hermosa Beach’s public spaces, such as the beach and Strand, where the number of people using the space make physical distancing challenging, especially in the summer months. Hermosa Beach locations and situations where face masks are required under existing County Public Health Orders and protocols include:

• On the beach while not in the water and on the Strand, Pier Plaza and Pier Plaza, when crowded conditions make it difficult to keep the minimum of 6 feet of physical distance from people at all times
• On public trails, like the Greenbelt, when keeping a distance of 6 feet is difficult
• At restaurants, except while eating and drinking only
• In grocery stores, medical facilities or any other business, as well as in any public interactions with those outside a person’s household

Exceptions to the requirements to wear a face mask in public include:

• When a person is eating or drinking
• Children younger than age 2
• Inside a vehicle by yourself or with household members only
• People engaged in cycling, running and other exercise when they can maintain at least 6 feet of physical distance at all times from people who are non-household members.
• Those instructed not to wear a cloth face covering by a medical provider are also exempt from wearing one. Individuals who are exempt from wearing a face covering due to a medical condition and who are employed in a job involving regular contact with others must wear a non-restrictive alternative, such as a face shield with a drape on the bottom edge, as long as their medical condition permits it. A drape that is form fitting under the chin is preferred.

While the City has been educating and providing free face coverings to those without them, the City’s enforcement teams have the ability to issue citations for individuals not observing public health orders and physical distancing protocols.

Reminder – L.A. County Public Health Order Prohibits Group Sports: While many outdoor recreational activities are permitted, the L.A. County Public Health Order continues to prohibit group sports – including softball, football, volleyball and basketball – because they involve shared equipment or physical contact, which could cause the spread of COVID-19. Non-contact sports and individual activities – such as walking, hiking, bicycling, running or horseback riding – are permitted as long as the participants follow social (physical) distancing and the appropriate County Reopening Protocol. Some non-contact sports are permitted, including golf, tennis and pickleball. While the risk of transmission is lower outdoors than indoors, there is still a risk of transmission outdoors that is heightened when individuals are in close contact without face coverings and the County has specific protocols for each of these non-contact sports. Sports like beach volleyball, soccer, and baseball are not permitted under the current Public Health Order, and the City’s enforcement teams have the ability to issue citations for unauthorized activities on the beach or at parks including group sports and gatherings where health orders and physical distancing protocols are not being observed.

Join the Mayor July 30 for the 2020 Hermosa Beach’s State of the City Address: Due to COVID-19, Hermosa Beach Mayor Mary Campbell will host the 2020 Hermosa Beach State of the City Address online at 7 p.m. Thursday, July 30. This year’s theme is “Resilient Together.” The presentation may be watched on the City’s website, Facebook or local access TV.

L.A. County CARES Act Provides $1.22 Billion to Residents and Businesses: The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors recently approved a $1.22 billion spending package to fund a broad range of essential services and relief measures to assist people and businesses affected by the COVID-19 crisis. The plan covers spending in four main areas:

• $656 million for public health measures including testing and contact tracing
• $200 million for financial support for residents in the form of assistance for rent relief, food and child care
• $160 million in grants to support small businesses
• $150 million to support the County workforce’s response to the emergency, including disaster services workers and personal protective equipment for employees

For a full list of program allocations, read the County fact sheet.

L.A. County Unveils Compliance Plan to Enforce Health Officer Orders: The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health announced today that it has created a tiered compliance and enforcement plan that will include citations and fines for businesses that continue to violate Health Officer Orders. Since March, Public Health received a total of 17,808 Health Officer Order complaints and investigated more than 17,000 restaurants, more than 3,500 grocery stores, more than 600 pools, and more than 3,000 other businesses. Twenty-six restaurants, one grocery store, one pool and 67 other businesses were shut down for Health Officer Order violations. Most of the businesses under investigation either came into compliance or were working to come into compliance and that's why they were not closed.

Beginning at the end of August, fines will be issued to businesses that are non-compliant that can range from $100 for the first offense to $500 and a 30-day permit suspension for multiple offenses. This includes businesses licensed and permitted by the department and those that are not. This enforcement is intended to slow the ongoing spread of COVID-19 across L.A. County. For more information, see the County’s press release.

L.A. County COVID-19 Update: The L.A. County Department of Public Health today reported 49 new deaths and 2,014 new cases of COVID-19. To date, Public Health has identified a total of 166,848 positive cases of COVID-19 across all areas of L.A. County, and a total of 4,262 deaths. The County reported five additional COVID-19 cases in Hermosa Beach since the City’s last update this past Thursday, bringing the City’s total to 139 COVID-19 diagnoses and 2 COVID-19 related deaths.

COVID-19 on Track to Become the Second Leading Cause of Death in L.A. County: According to a press release issued yesterday, COVID-19 has killed more than 3,400 people countywide in the first six months of this year and is currently on track to become the second leading cause of death in L.A. County.

Community COVID-19 Testing Reminder: As a reminder to residents, the nearest Los Angeles County COVID-19 Test Site is located at the Beach Cities Health District campus at 514 North Prospect Avenue in Redondo Beach. While L.A. County is encouraging residents to first contact their Primary Care Provider or Healthcare Center, COVID-19 tests are free and available to all residents of L.A. County at County testing sites. To sign up for a test at an open location, visit L.A. County’s new testing scheduling platform. The County’s main hub page will continue to provide updated information and resources and link users to the new platform.

State & Federal Updates

U.S. Surpasses 4 Million COVID-19 Cases: According to data compiled by Johns Hopkins, there are now more than 4 million diagnosed cases of COVID-19 in the United States since the start of the pandemic, and more than 144,000 people have died across the country as a result of the novel coronavirus. The U.S. is the global leader in confirmed COVID-19 cases at this time.

U.S. Government and Pfizer Reach Deal to Produce 100 Million COVID-19 Vaccines: According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ (HHS) announcement yesterday, the U.S. government and Pfizer have reached a $1.95 billion deal to produce 100 million doses of a COVID-19 vaccine for distribution in the United States, if the company’s vaccine is proven to be effective in clinical trials and approved for usage. The vaccine will need emergency use authorization from officials before it can be distributed.

CDC Data Indicates COVID-19 Infections Higher Than Reported Across U.S.: The number of people infected with the COVID-19 in different parts of the United States was anywhere from two to 13 times higher than the reported rates for those regions, according to data released Tuesday by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The findings suggest that large numbers of people who did not have symptoms or did not seek medical care may have kept the virus circulating in their communities.

Trump Administration Announces $5 Billion For Nursing and Veterans’ Homes: The Trump administration announced Wednesday that it is sending $5 billion to nursing homes and state veterans’ homes to fight the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. This funding comes from the $2 trillion COVID-19 relief package passed in late March, and it is in addition to the $4.9 billion nursing homes are already receiving.

Global Coronavirus Figures: There are more than 15.3 million confirmed cases of COVID-19 worldwide since the start of the pandemic, and over 626,000 COVID-19 related deaths have occurred across the globe as of July 23, according to Johns Hopkins Coronavirus Resource Center.

Latest Facts & Figures*

Jurisdiction - Reported Cases | Reported Deaths

• Hermosa Beach - 139 | 2
• L.A. County - 166,848 | 4,262
• California - 425,616 | 8,027
• United States - 3,952,273 | 142,755

*All reported data is from the close of the previous day.

Additional Resources

Please continue to follow public health experts’ recommendations to avoid spreading the coronavirus including frequent handwashing, wearing a face covering, keeping a safe distance from one another, and staying home if you are ill. Public Health has issued the following guidance during this time of increased spread: If you are mildly sick, stay home for at least seven days or until 72 hours after being fever free, whichever is longer. Call your doctor if you are concerned and/or your symptoms worsen. Individuals who are elderly, have underlying health conditions or pregnant should consider contacting their providers earlier when they are sick. More information is available here.

We are monitoring updates and sharing information about the coronavirus from trusted sources including the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, California Department of Public Health, and Los Angeles County Department of Public Health.

Information regarding coronavirus is changing frequently, and the City will provide the latest information about COVID-19 and links to resources on our website. To stay informed, please sign up for Hermosa Beach eNotifications, public safety alerts or follow the City on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

This press release was produced by the City of Hermosa Beach. The views expressed are the author's own.