Coronavirus: City Of Palm Springs Declares Local Emergency

PALM SPRINGS, CA — Officials in the city of Palm Springs have declared a local emergency to help stem the spread of coronavirus, and announced plans to restrict access to several public facilities.

Additionally, Palm Springs City Manager David Ready issued an emergency order Sunday requiring all bars, night clubs and breweries within the city limits to close immediately.

The order comes hours after Gov. Gavin Newsom Sunday ordered that all bars in California close temporarily due to the coronavirus pandemic and directed restaurants to reduce their capacity by roughly half.

"Those restaurants that include a bar area may remain open, but must close the bar area of the restaurant. In addition, social distancing (defined as distancing tables to no less than six feet from each other) must be maintained in any restaurant that remains open," the Palm Springs order read.

The order also "strongly encouraged" people 65 and older or those vulnerable to COVID-19 to "practice home isolation and should venture out only as absolutely necessary."

The order provided police and city employees the power to enforce closures.

Ready issued a local emergency declaration Sunday that cited a need to reduce and the slow the rate of infections and exposure to the city's more then 44,000 residents, workers and visitors with special concern for a population that includes 40 percent aged 60 or older and at least 10 percent with compromised immune systems.

As of Monday morning, March 16, Riverside County has 15 confirmed COVID-19 cases — 13 in Coachella Valley and two cruise ship passengers who have not returned to the region since being diagnosed.

The city of Palm Springs declaration will need to be approved during Thursday's city council meeting, but Ready is already moving ahead with several related recommendations including:
— restricting public access at City Hall, effective Tuesday, with continued operations through alternative methods including using telephones, remote and online methods
— restricting public access and closing all other indoor city public facilities, effective Monday, as well as the Swim Center and Skate Park; outdoor parks will remain open
— asking all businesses and locations open to the public to limit occupancy by 50 percent of their current legal limit, effective immediately
— requiring all businesses to post signs at every entrance regarding recommended reductions in occupancy and explaining how guests can protect themselves and others along with other critical information.

In addition to seeking formal ratification of the emergency declaration Thursday, Ready said the council meeting will also focus on addressing issues related to the health emergency.

"I will continue to update and announce other measures to address the pandemic in ways to best protect our residents, workers and visitors," Ready said.

Those updates will be posted on the city's website: www.palmspringsca.gov

A local emergency was declared Friday in the city of Riverside based on the potential spread of coronavirus, mandating that all nonessential facilities, including Riverside City Hall, be shuttered for at least a week.

City Manager Al Zelinka unilaterally implemented the emergency declaration, which must be ratified by the city council, whose members are slated to convene for regular business at 6 p.m. Tuesday despite the closures, according to spokesman Phil Pitchford.

No known coronavirus cases have surfaced in the city.

While Riverside's emergency order does not impact public safety operations or the functions of utility personnel, other departments are affected, according to the city.

City of Riverside officials acknowledged that the declaration was spurred in part by President Donald Trump's national emergency declaration tied to coronavirus earlier Friday.

The city of Riverside has a dedicated COVID-19 information portal at https://RiversideCA.gov/COVID-19.

RELATED: College Of The Desert Trustees Declare State Of Emergency